In future, all Germans should be able to access all digital services through a single platform, ideally entering their data just once. Simplicity also means identifying yourself with just one key. And while the rest of it is still a distant dream, this key already exists — hardly anyone just knows about it. Even fewer people use it: eID, the online authentication function of the ID card.

Why is that?

As so often: complexity. Anyone who wants to use the eID has to activate it, request a PIN letter, install an app, and own an NFC-capable device. Many citizens already fail at this first step. The user experience doesn’t convince either: dropped connections, technical hurdles, and complicated processes put people off.

On top of that: the benefit is barely visible for many people. Only a few government portals or private providers support the eID. Anyone who sets it up quickly finds they need it almost nowhere. And where it is offered, it competes with simpler methods like VideoIdent or BankIdent — more convenient, but less secure.

The biggest failure, though, lies in communication. The state has missed the chance to explain to people why digital identity matters, and how it can make everyday life easier.

The technology is there. What’s missing is implementation: simple use, clear integration into the BundID, and in future into the European Digital Identity Wallet.

But as they say, what isn’t yet can still become. We’re happy to help.

Have you ever used the eID? What was your experience?

Image from: personalausweisportal.de

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