A new cross-industry initiative to add a universal layer of trust to the internet we know today has been launched by DITC Labs, a multidisciplinary digital economy think tank established by NFCW founder Sarah Clark.

The Trustnet is made possible by a new, standardizable mechanism that unlocks the opportunity to provide consumers with simpler and safer ways to navigate our digital world — and for businesses to build innovative new business models upon it.

Phase one of the project will use a candidate high-level blueprint seeded by DITC Labs as the catalyst for a standards-setting process that will be led by a cross-industry panel of experts convened and coordinated by DITC Labs.

Executives and technical specialists seeking to understand how the Trustnet may impact their organisations will also be able to participate through an early access programme. Members will receive access to candidate specifications, research briefings and business model frameworks ahead of public release, together with priority access to sandbox and pilot opportunities.

The first deliverable will be released under NDA in September and is available to pre-order today.

Part one of Blueprint for a Universal Layer of Trust is the entry point to the Trustnet project. It introduces the new mechanism that makes the Trustnet possible, sets out the thinking behind the Trustnet concept, explains the problems it solves, shows how it will be used to enable safer and simpler user experiences for consumers, and explores the opportunities it unlocks for a new generation of trust-based business models.

The report is intended to give executives and technical specialists the foundation they need to understand the potential of the Trustnet, assess its relevance to their organisations and decide how they may wish to participate in the next stage of the project. 

Companies seeking to take an active role in building out the Trustnet will then be able to do so by joining DITC Labs as corporate members. This will entitle them to participate in the specification-setting process, help shape emerging certification frameworks, and contribute directly to the governance and implementation infrastructure required to enable a standards-based deployment of the Trustnet.

NFCW readers will also be able to keep up to date with progress via our email newsletter service.  

“The need for a more trustworthy internet has been clear for a long time,” Sarah explains. “Finding a way to make it possible has been a massive undertaking. Now we have it, the challenge is to get the Trustnet built. We hope you will join us on the journey.”

● Part one of Blueprint for a Universal Layer of Trust is available to pre-order at the special NFCW reader rate of £995 (approx US$1,333/€1,167) until 31 July. This will then increase to £1,995 for orders placed ahead of publication and £3,995 once the report has been published in September.

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