We are pleased to announce the publication of the thematic paper ‘Digital identity and identifiers in the era of Web 4.0 and virtual worlds‘ developed as part of the WEB4HUB project, which explores the future governance of Web 4.0 and virtual worlds.
Download the paper here 📄
The WEB4HUB project is led by PPMI | Part of the Verian Group in collaboration with TNO, on behalf of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT). The project sits within a broader EU policy context shaped by the European Commission’s Virtual Worlds and Web 4.0 Strategy, the 2023 Citizens Panel on Virtual Worlds – which called for clearer EU rules on digital identity and anonymity – and the Global Multistakeholder High-Level Conference on Governance for Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds (March–April 2025), held under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Why is digital identity in Web 4.0 important?
Digital identity is a foundational enabler of digital transformation, underpinning secure participation in online services, transactions, and the digital economy. As the web evolves towards its fourth generation, characterised by advanced AI, the internet of things (IoT), immersive technologies, and quantum computing, identity systems must adapt to support an increasingly complex ecosystem of human and non-human entities.
This thematic paper analyses how digital identity and identification are likely to evolve in the context of Web 4.0 and virtual worlds, with a time horizon extending to 2035. It examines the technological foundations shaping this evolution, explores challenges and opportunities across four possible futures, and offers recommendations for EU policymakers and stakeholders.
The paper provides an assessment of the current state of EU policy and global standardisation efforts and explores four possible future scenarios for how digital identity might evolve.
What are the main findings?
The paper’s six key findings reflect the scale of transformation ahead, as summarised below.
The paper presents concrete recommendations spanning seven areas — from legal and regulatory foundations and non-human identity governance to interoperability, user empowerment, and global collaboration — directed at EU institutions, Member States, industry, civil society, and researchers, oriented towards ensuring digital identity systems in Web 4.0 are secure, interoperable, and aligned with European values.
About the project
This paper is one of several thematic papers produced as part of the WEB4HUB project, covering topics including agentic AI and internet infrastructure, decentralised data and service architectures, quantum communications, and Web 4.0 governance. The project aims to assess key developments in internet technologies relevant to Web 4.0 and virtual worlds, and to foster a global dialogue on their governance.
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