identitytwo

Identitytwo is a conceptual model in digital identity studies that describes how an individual can maintain two interrelated representations of themselves within online systems: a core, enduring identity and a set of service-specific credentials. The model emphasizes that separating personal information from service credentials can improve privacy and security while still enabling reliable access to digital resources.

In this framework, the core identity covers relatively stable attributes such as a lawful name or a government identifier. The secondary layer consists of credentials, claims, or tokens issued by trusted providers for use with particular services. These layers can be linked by user consent and policy, yet are designed to minimize unnecessary disclosure. Techniques such as attribute-based access control, selective disclosure, and privacy-enhancing technologies like zero-knowledge proofs can support identitytwo in practice.

Applications include federated and cross-domain authentication, single sign-on, and enterprise identity management, where a user proves specific attributes without exposing their full identity. The approach supports data minimization, user control, and regulatory compliance by limiting data shared with each service.

Challenges include achieving interoperability among providers, ensuring clear consent mechanisms, managing revocation, and addressing user understanding of multiple identities. Security risks include credential reuse and unintended linkage across services if controls are weak.

See also: digital identity, identity management, identity federation, privacy-preserving authentication, zero-knowledge proof.