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The NSW Government has committed to rolling out a NSW Digital ID to provide people with greater control over their personal information and how it is shared.

The initiative was announced as part of Privacy Week, which runs from 1-7 May. The NSW Government emphasised the importance of protecting online data and building world class privacy and security measures.

Over the past year, a series of cyber-attack, including the recent Optus and Medibank data breaches, have left millions of people vulnerable to identity theft across the state. The annual cost of cyber-attacks is currently estimated to be $42 billion.

To combat this issue, the NSW Digital ID (Beta) has commenced trials with customers, reporting 90 per cent satisfaction with the test pilot. The NSW Digital ID aims to stop the oversharing of personal information by putting people in control of how and when their data is shared.

To create the NSW Digital ID, individuals will only be required to verify their identity once. This will grant them the ability to manage which details are shared with other Government agencies and private companies.

Through the NSW Digital ID and Digital Wallet, personal information can be securely stored and users will have real-time control over who can access their verified credentials. The NSW Digital ID will be offered as an optional service to NSW residents once it has undergone thorough testing, audit, and reviews to ensure that all information remains safe and secure.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said that “with the world moving towards a digital future, it’s more important than ever for people to feel safe when providing personal information online and the Digital ID will help do just that”.

“By providing everyone the choice to control their personal information safely and securely online, it’s handing the power over their privacy back to the people,” said Dib.

Following the recent cyber-attacks, the NSW Government is committed to ensuring people have access to the tools they need to protect their online privacy.

“Any digital service the NSW Government provides will continue to undergo rigorous testing to ensure the community has confidence that their private information is safe and secure,” he said.