Developed by the Researcher Identity Task and Finish Group, which was established last year to explore these issues in greater detail, the report offers recommendations for establishing guidelines to improve trust through digital identity technology. Academic publishing has traditionally operated on an open trust model, where minimal verification – often limited to a valid email address – was enough to allow researchers to participate in the peer-review and publication process. However, with the rise in fraudulent activities such as paper mills and identity manipulation, the limitations of this system have become increasingly apparent.