WebID VideoID

00:00:00: Welcome.

00:00:01: Today we're exploring a really key part of our digital lives.

00:00:05: Secure digital identity.

00:00:07: Our aim is to understand, well, that final safety net companies use when the automated checks just don't quite work out.

00:00:15: We're looking specifically at a video identification service.

00:00:18: They call it video ID.

00:00:20: It's managed centrally through something called the ID hub.

00:00:23: Right.

00:00:23: And what's quite interesting about video ID, I think, is how it's typically used.

00:00:27: It's usually not the first

00:00:28: step.

00:00:28: Oh, really?

00:00:29: Why is that?

00:00:29: Well,

00:00:30: mostly for efficiency and cost.

00:00:33: Companies tend to try the faster automated routes first.

00:00:37: You know, things like a Hufa check, maybe open banking verification, or sometimes an automated video method, like video auto widen.

00:00:44: If those don't succeed for whatever reason, or maybe the transaction needs a higher level of security assurance, That's when you get routed to video ID.

00:00:51: It acts as that crucial fallback.

00:00:53: So it stops the whole registration process from just failing completely if there's a small data issue.

00:00:58: Exactly.

00:00:58: It ensures there's always a robust way to complete the verification.

00:01:02: That highlights a kind of built-in resilience, doesn't it?

00:01:05: Speed were possible with automation, but a reliable human check when needed.

00:01:13: Let's talk about the mechanics of that check.

00:01:15: How is it set up?

00:01:16: Our notes mention WebID solutions in Berlin.

00:01:19: That's right.

00:01:20: the whole thing runs through their platform, the WebID Hub.

00:01:22: That's a central technological point.

00:01:24: Okay,

00:01:24: a central platform.

00:01:25: Yes, the ID Hub is the engine.

00:01:27: Now, sometimes people hear a central platform and worry a bit about, you know, single points of failure.

00:01:31: Yeah,

00:01:32: I was wondering about that, especially with sensitive identity data.

00:01:36: It's a valid thought, but the way it's structured helps mitigate that.

00:01:39: While the platform and the billing are centralized client contracts, are with WebID, the actual operational side, the people doing the checks.

00:01:47: That's distributed.

00:01:48: Distributed how?

00:01:49: The call center agents, the ones who actually perform the video verification, they aren't all in one place.

00:01:54: They're spread across several locations within the EU.

00:01:56: Ah,

00:01:57: okay.

00:01:57: What's the advantage there?

00:01:58: Well, several things.

00:02:00: It helps with regulatory compliance in different markets, obviously language support too.

00:02:05: But critically, it provides operational resilience.

00:02:08: Resilience.

00:02:08: You mean like... if one center has an issue.

00:02:11: Precisely.

00:02:12: If there's an outage, or even just a sudden surge in demand in one area, the system can redirect the calls to agents who are available elsewhere in the network.

00:02:21: It's vital for managing capacity, especially when you remember this often handles the overflow from failed automated checks.

00:02:28: That means a lot of sense.

00:02:29: The human layer provides the flexibility.

00:02:31: Okay.

00:02:31: Okay, let's shift perspective.

00:02:33: Imagine I'm a customer trying to open a bank account online, say.

00:02:37: The first quick check fails.

00:02:39: What happens next?

00:02:40: What's my journey look like?

00:02:41: Right, the user experience.

00:02:43: They've clearly put thought into making it smooth.

00:02:46: So I've already tried registering on the bank's website.

00:02:48: Correct.

00:02:48: When that automated check fails, the bank system initiates a secure transfer.

00:02:53: You, the customer, are handed over to WebBit.

00:02:56: You shouldn't have to, like, start all over again.

00:02:59: Then you typically select Video ID as the method.

00:03:03: Before the video part starts, you'll enter your personal details, probably confirming what you already entered, and then upload a picture or scan of your ID document.

00:03:11: Uploaded directly there.

00:03:12: Yes.

00:03:13: And here's a key part of the design.

00:03:15: The actual face-to-face video check happens right in your web browser.

00:03:19: Oh, not in a separate app I have to download.

00:03:21: Exactly.

00:03:22: No need to interrupt the flow, go find an app, install it, figure it out.

00:03:27: That's a huge barrier removed.

00:03:28: Staying in the browser keeps things moving.

00:03:31: That really is a big deal for keeping people in the process.

00:03:34: Okay, so I'm in my browser, my webcam's on, then what?

00:03:37: Then a WebID call center agent appears.

00:03:40: They're specifically trained for these kinds of regulated identity checks.

00:03:44: They'll guide you securely through the process.

00:03:46: What are they actually checking?

00:03:47: They're visually confirming, in real time, a few key things.

00:03:51: First, does the person on the webcam match the photo on the ID document you uploaded?

00:03:56: Makes sense.

00:03:57: Second, is the document itself authentic?

00:03:59: They're trained to spot inconsistencies.

00:04:02: And third, they check the physical security features things like the holograms you see on passports and ID cards.

00:04:08: They'll likely ask you to tilt the card in the light.

00:04:12: So that human check verifies things the automated scan might have missed or couldn't confirm.

00:04:18: Precisely

00:04:18: that.

00:04:19: It adds that necessary layer of scrutiny.

00:04:22: And how does it wrap up?

00:04:23: How do we know the identity is confirmed?

00:04:25: and the process is complete.

00:04:26: The final step is usually entering an SMS TAN.

00:04:30: Like a code sent to my phone.

00:04:31: Exactly.

00:04:32: A one-time password sent to your registered mobile number, you enter that code and that confirms everything.

00:04:37: It's that combination, the live human video check, plus the mobile two-factor authentication that makes it legally solid and secure against fraud.

00:04:44: Okay, that security aspect naturally leads us to compliance.

00:04:49: If this is the ultimate safety net, it must meet some pretty high standards, legally speaking.

00:04:53: Absolutely.

00:04:54: Its legal weight really comes from adhering to some major EU regulations.

00:04:58: Such as?

00:04:58: Well, first,

00:04:59: it has to comply with the Money Laundering Act.

00:05:01: That's fundamental for almost any financial or high-value transaction service.

00:05:05: Right.

00:05:05: Critical for banks.

00:05:06: Definitely.

00:05:07: Second, it meets the requirements of the Telecommunications Act.

00:05:10: And third, which is really key for operating across Europe, is the EIDAS regulation.

00:05:16: EIDAS.

00:05:17: Okay, I hear that acronym.

00:05:19: But for listeners maybe not directly involved in this space, what does that regulation actually do?

00:05:25: Good question.

00:05:27: EIDAS.