LinkedIn introduced a new identity verification feature for its Indian customers through Aadhaar numbers on June 7. The ID verification process will be handled by HyperVerge, a third-party identity verification service that uses DigiLocker, the digital wallet for Government IDs in India. This verification will show up on the user’s LinkedIn profile. Those who don’t have an Aadhaar card can choose to verify through their work email or workplace credentials. Why it matters: LinkedIn says this Aaadhar-enabled verification will give people a greater chance of finding professional opportunities and will help build trust with their professional community. But it is important to note that private companies aren’t supposed to use Aadhaar for e-KYC (know your customer) purposes. In its 2018 judgment on the Aadhaar Act, the Supreme Court struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act (the provision in the Act that allowed the use of Aadhaar authentication and e-KYC by private companies). According to the Supreme Court judgment of 2018, the use of Aadhaar numbers for e-KYC would enable the commercial exploitation of an individual’s biometric and demographic information by private entities. This concern is valid to this day and makes one question how companies like LinkedIn are going about this process. It is also important to note here that LinkedIn introduced a similar verification policy in the US earlier this year. But unlike what they're doing in India, US users didn't have a prescribed government ID they must use. This begs the question: Why is Aadhaar the only…
