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WISeID continues its commitment to a Web that is run by people and not platforms

WISeID continues its commitment to a Web that is run by people and not platforms

Today, 30 years after the invention of the Web we must acknowledge that we are either building a future of technological grandeur at the expense of what makes us magnificent, or we are building a future of human grandeur with the help of magnificent technology

ZUG, GENEVA, March 13, 2019 – WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey“) (SIX: WIHN), a leading global cybersecurity, Blockchain and IoT company and a pioneer of Digital Identification and Decentralized Trust Models announced today that through its WISeID platform the company is providing over 1.3 billion people currently without proper legal documentation, a secure and trusted way to access the Web and obtain a Digital Identity and gain access to vital economic and social services such as food, education and healthcare.

Digitalization is the new normal with disruptive waves to the economy, business models, consumer choices and demands. Today, 30 years after the invention of the Web, we must acknowledge that we are either building a future of technological grandeur at the expense of what makes us magnificent, or we are building a future of human grandeur with the help of magnificent technology. The path we collectively choose will determine whether our future is bleak or bright.

The WISeID.com is an open source software, audited by network participants and enabled by several types of biometrics to create Digital Identities.    A Digital Identity is like a birth certificate, it belongs to and it is always under the control of the user, and is the equivalent of a digital passport, able to build reputations across Web3 and interact with economies without sacrificing privacy, value, or security.

WISeID integrates state-of-the-art technologies related to Digital Identity and Blockchain which are in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals aiming to provide every person on the planet with a solid and tamper-proof digital identity based on common, interoperable standards by 2030. As a first step, the United Nations is seeking to develop scalable identity systems by 2020. This initiative was launched at the inaugural ID2020 Summit Harnessing Digital Identity for the Global Community’ held at the United Nations headquarters in New York in May 2016.

 “Our vision of putting people at the center of gravity, providing them with the ability of owning their Legal Digital Identity, and building all the infrastructure around this vision, is the key to successfully empowering citizens to unleash their full potential,” said Carlos Moreira, Founder CEO, and WISeKey.

 WISeKey’s commitment is to continue building platforms similar to WISeID, where state-of-the-art technologies are built to serve people and not the other way around. This is WISeID’s manifesto for choosing wisely:

1. Access
To fully reap the benefits of digitalization and technology, all humans must have quality access to connectivity. Governments shall be committed to the expansion of next-generation smart infrastructure, and establish principles of technological neutrality, through a simplified, market-oriented, and transparent regulatory environment, and through incentives to invest in less profitable areas, as well as by fostering investments for skill and capacity building.

2. Privacy
Securing the privacy of every human being is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, personal data conveyed over the Internet or stored in devices connected to the Internet is owned and solely governed by the individual. It is paramount to protect all citizens in the all-digital age. AI systems should use tools, including anonymized data, de-identification, or aggregation to protect personally identifiable information whenever possible.

3. Security
An array of emerging digital threats may harm citizens. Users must trust that their personal and sensitive data is protected and handled appropriately. We strongly support the protection of the foundation of AI and other technologies, including source code, proprietary algorithms, and other intellectual property. We believe governments should avoid requiring companies to transfer or provide access to technology, source code, algorithms, or encryption keys as conditions for doing business. We encourage governments to use strong, globally-accepted and deployed cryptography and other security standards that enable trust and interoperability. We also promote voluntary information-sharing on cyberattacks or hacks to better enable consumer protection.

4. Consent
Respecting the authority and autonomy of every human being is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, personal digital data will not be used as research, rationale, enticement or commodity by any entity or individual, except with the explicit, well-informed, revocable consent of the individual owner of the data.

5. Ethics
Improving the human condition is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, a universal code of ethics reflecting the highest order of human values will govern the development, implementation, and use of technology.

6. Futureproof Skills
Advancing human faculties is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, to that end, the secure, approved, and accountable aggregation of personal information and resources to increase our individual abilities is a fundamental objective of technology.

7. Good
Advocating and innovating the greatest good for all humanity is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, technology, no matter how advanced, will never supersede the spiritual purposes or the moral rights and responsibilities of any human being anywhere. Technology will serve humanity’s needs.

8. Democracy
Democratizing human vision, ingenuity, and education is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, technology will remain humanity’s greatest collaborator but never represent humanity itself.

About WISeKey
WISeKey (SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale digital identity ecosystems for people and objects using Blockchain, AI and IoT respecting the Human as the Fulcrum of the Internet. WISeKey Microprocessors Secures the pervasive computing shaping today’s Internet of Everything. WISeKey IoT has an install base of over 1.5 billion microchips in virtually all IoT sectors (connected cars, smart cities, drones, agricultural sensors, anti-counterfeiting, smart lighting, servers, computers, mobile phones, crypto tokens etc.).  WISeKey is uniquely positioned to be at the edge of IoT as our semiconductors produce a huge amount of Big Data that, when analyzed with Artificial Intelligence (AI), can help industrial applications to predict the failure of their equipment before it happens.

Our technology is Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey’s Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust (“RoT”) provides secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com.

Press and investor contacts

WISeKey
Company Contact:
Carlos Moreira
Chairman & CEO
Tel: +41 22 594 3000
info@wisekey.com
WISeKey Investor Relations (US)
Contact:
Lena Cati
The Equity Group Inc.
Tel: +1 212 836-9611
lcati@equityny.com

Disclaimer:
This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.