Identity Management Systems is the cornerstone of creation of Semantic Web for both Business and eGovernment sectors. This is the very base for future development of Web 2.0 systems interoperability and eGovernment Systems. What is important in those kinds of systems? Well, first of all that new Web 2.0 system is quite a user centric system. Basically systems support only content and data creation processes but not create themselves. Each user creates the content himself
which creates in its turn the Web of different contents from one single user all over the web. The best example is the Blog content creation for Mr. John Johnson. He has his personal “private” blog on www.livejournal.com, and then he has a business Blog on corporate web-site www.semanticweb.com/johnson, photo album on Flicker www.flickr.com/johnjohnson
and maybe even one WordPress Blog about airplanes on www.arimania.org/blog. This makes a huge content created by single person available online but not interoperable. For example, if Mr. Johnson wishes to move some photos from Flicker to his private LiveJournal Blog he should provide LiveJournal his personal credential of Flicker account which is also Yahoo account credential and make his yahoo mail available. The possibilities of Federated identity management systems are also
very limited in these cases. Imagine if Yahoo and LiveJournal with sign the agreement of one shared XML ontology. Even then the problems with linkage of accounts will arise as people don’t like linking account really much. There are much more problems of systems interoperability and possible creation of Semantic Web.

But there is much more possibilities of real interoperability of any Web 2.0 System based on IDM. Why should we precisely present Web 2.0 systems? Just because those systems are user content driven and include either private/analyzed information about person or content created/collected by the same user. A very good example is the difference of simple Britannica Online Encyclopaedia and Wikipedia. Both are the encyclopaedias but one has been created by editor’s team and the other one by people. Created and edited by individuals this system is much more flexible for semantic interoperability than any other databases. This interoperability with base of IDM is possible and firstly has been presented for eGovernment.

Interoperability within the eGovernment means the ability of information and communication technology systems, as well as, of the business processes they support in order to exchange data and enable the sharing of information and knowledge (IDABC 2007). First time the idea of Interoperability of eGovernment services based on identity has been discussed in article called “eID Interoperability as a Key Enabler for eGovernment” published in monthly magazine of IDABC. There was mentioned that a key factor for development of eGovernment is Interoperability of all cross-sector eServices. eEurope Action Plan has outlined importance of Interoperability and therefore the IDABC decision is based on a framework of common principles and rules, as well as, on the agreement on open standards, which is the most important, and identity interfaces for the implementation of interoperability between systems, applications, business processes and actors producing or using eGovernment services. As authors of the project say the electronic identity management systems are fundamental for allowing secure access to and normal use of eGovernment services in all over Europe. As many of State already creating digital identity management system IDABC took initiative to prevent these developments from creating new digital barriers across borders, and to set of actual requirements and standards that must be agreed to enable European eID interoperate and create the framework of semantic interoperability(IDABC 2007).

Albert Poghosyan