QEI

A child goes to school, on a school trip, to camp, training, or on a journey. Upon arrival, with a single press, they confirm: “I’m safe.” But what if that confirmation never comes? What if the child cannot make a call? What if someone takes away their phone or protective device? As part of the QEI – Quantized Encrypted Identity initiative at Institute 1. april, we are developing a concept in which the absence of an expected signal itself could become a reason to initiate a safety check – without the need to constantly track the child.

Online, an adult can become 14 years old in a matter of seconds. A child, meanwhile, can become “an adult” with a single click. At a time of increasingly intense discussions about child sexual abuse, paedophilia and online grooming, an important question arises: can the digital identity of the future protect minors more effectively without turning them into subjects of constant digital surveillance? Within the QEI – Quantized Encrypted Identity initiative at Institute 1. april, this is precisely the type of approach we are exploring.