In an era where our personal data is constantly at risk, how we prove who we are online has become one of the most critical questions of the decade. Recently, state leaders, technologists, and policymakers gathered at Utah Valley University’s Thanksgiving Point campus for the SEDI Summit 2026.
The goal? To refine SEDI (State-Endorsed Digital Identity)—Utah’s pioneering “rights-first” framework designed to put individuals back in control of their own data.
Why Identity is “Broken”
Utah Chief Technology Officer Joe Jackson opened the summit with a stark reality check. Sharing a personal story of a recent data breach involving a university he never even attended, Jackson highlighted a system where fraud is accelerating and centralized databases are failing.
Joe Jackson, Utah Chief Technology Officer, State of Utah. Photo: TechBuzz News
According to Jackson, the current digital identity landscape is like the “Emperor’s New Clothes”—a system everyone relies on but few are willing to admit is fundamentally flawed. With over $100 billion lost to fraudulent unemployment payments during the pandemic, the need for a “human trust layer” on the internet has never been more urgent.
What is SEDI?
Unlike traditional databases that store your info in a central (and hackable) location, SEDI uses cryptographic proof. It allows you to:
- Verify your identity without sharing unnecessary details.
- Maintain ownership of your data, rather than a corporation or government “owning” your identity.
- Reduce fraud by moving away from easily faked physical credentials like driver’s licenses for online use.
A “Balsa Wood and Duct Tape” Success Story
One of the most compelling moments of the summit came from Utah County Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner. She recounted a high-stakes situation where a state legislator was stuck at a border crossing in Botswana without his children’s birth certificates.
Amelia Powers Gardner, Utah County Commissioner. Photo: TechBuzz News
Using the digital credential system Gardner had helped build for marriage licenses, the county was able to verify the legislator’s identity via facial recognition and issue digital birth certificates in just over two hours. “Every one of my 780,000 constituents should have that ability,” Gardner noted, emphasizing that seamless government interaction builds institutional trust.
From Healthcare to Retail
The summit explored how digital identity impacts every facet of life:
- Healthcare: Panelists discussed “killing the clipboard” and using SEDI to ensure that when patient records move between hospitals, the trust is verified cryptographically, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive medical data.
- Retail: Leaders from Maverik and Conexxus discussed how digital IDs could protect young cashiers from the legal risks of selling age-restricted products by providing instant, unforgeable age verification.
Chris Bramwell, Chief Privacy Officer, State of Utah. Photo: TechBuzz News
The Path Forward: A Multi-State Consortium
Utah isn’t doing this alone. The summit attracted representatives from over 25 states. To ensure the framework remains neutral and interoperable, the Kantara Initiative—a global nonprofit—has been named the organizational home for the multi-state SEDI consortium.
As Utah Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore warned, the private sector won’t wait for the government to catch up. By taking the lead now, Utah is attempting to ensure the digital identity of the future is built on constitutional principles of privacy and individual liberty.
Source: This post is adapted from the article “Utah’s SEDI Summit Points Toward a Different Future for Digital Identity” by Mark Tullis, published on TechBuzz News.