On World Inclusion Day, a stark revelation has emerged: 627 million people worldwide are excluded from essential digital services, forming what could be the “third-largest nation” in the world. These individuals, greater in number than the populations of the US and Brazil combined, are unjustly barred from accessing vital platforms such as financial services, healthcare, education, and employment due to outdated or inadequate verification systems.
Sumsub, a leading global online verification platform, has unveiled a new initiative called ‘Greenflag,’ developed in collaboration with creative agency Cloudfactory. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the staggering number of people cut off from the digital economy due to biases related to identification documents, digital literacy, physical appearance, and nationality.
The Untapped Potential of a ‘Digital Nation’
If united, the individuals excluded from digital services would represent a $1.75 trillion economic powerhouse—enough to rank as the world’s third-largest nation in terms of economic potential. According to Sumsub’s research, this group’s digital transactions could exceed $2.46 trillion by 2028 if given proper access to online platforms.
The campaign utilises powerful imagery, including a floating server adrift at sea, to symbolise the isolation felt by these 627 million individuals. César Garcia, Creative Director at Cloudfactory, explained, “The concept of the floating server dramatically captures the disconnect experienced by those excluded from essential digital services. We aimed to illustrate how these individuals are not just numbers but represent a vast, marginalised group with significant potential.”
AI-Driven Risk Aversion: A Barrier to Inclusion
The root of this exclusion lies in increasingly risk-averse practices driven by AI-based fraud detection, which often leads to the over-rejection of individuals from certain nationalities or those with non-standard identification documents. As businesses tighten their verification processes in response to growing fraud concerns, millions are unfairly categorised as high-risk and barred from participating in the digital economy.
“At Sumsub, we believe access to digital services is a fundamental right, not a privilege,” said Julia Kim, Chief Marketing Officer at Sumsub. “The exclusion of 627 million people represents both a social injustice and a major economic oversight. Through the ‘Greenflag’ campaign, we’re urging businesses to rethink how they approach verification and adopt more inclusive practices that unlock this hidden potential.”
Key Findings of the Greenflag Report
Sumsub’s research, conducted by Catalyst Group, highlights several barriers to digital inclusion:
- Identification issues: 243 million people struggle to access services due to outdated or non-standard ID documents.
- Digital illiteracy: 219 million are left behind due to insufficient skills to navigate digital platforms.
- Appearance-based exclusion: 96 million face challenges with verification due to changes in appearance, including medical conditions, cosmetic surgery, or gender transitions.
- Nationality bias: Over 70 million people are blocked by risk-based exclusions, with businesses generalising entire countries as high-risk.
Sumsub’s ‘Greenflag’ campaign aims to highlight these disparities while promoting innovative, inclusive solutions that would allow more people to access digital services without facing unnecessary barriers.
The Economic and Social Imperative
Addressing digital exclusion is not just a moral issue but a significant economic opportunity. Andrew Sever, CEO and Co-Founder of Sumsub, emphasised that the growth of the digital economy depends on making services accessible to all. “As the digital economy expands, these challenges will only intensify. Digital exclusion affects not only those left out but also businesses that miss out on potential markets worth trillions.”
The campaign’s accompanying white paper outlines how more inclusive verification systems can help businesses tap into these underserved markets, fostering both global economic growth and social equity.
Moving Towards an Inclusive Digital Future
Sumsub’s efforts, alongside collaborations with other tech firms like Huawei and Cambricon, aim to create a fairer digital ecosystem. Andrew Novoselsky, Sumsub’s Chief Product Officer, stressed the importance of innovative verification technologies to support governments, businesses, and service providers. “We are committed to developing solutions like non-document verification to ensure that people without conventional IDs are not excluded from essential services.”
As the campaign rolls out across international markets including the UK, US, Singapore, and Mexico, Sumsub’s message is clear: digital inclusion is essential for a thriving global economy. The Greenflag initiative challenges businesses to rethink their approach to verification and unlock the vast potential of the 627 million people currently left on the fringes of the digital world.
The question now is whether global businesses will step up, break down these barriers, and recognise the value in a more inclusive digital economy.
