Digital identity management systems constitute a fundamental building block of modern digital services. While federated identity management is widely deployed due to its usability and administrative efficiency, self-sovereign identity (SSI) has emerged as a privacy-preserving, user-centric alternative. However, the suitability of these paradigms depends strongly on the context in which digital identities operate. This paper investigates users’ trust and preferences regarding identity management approaches across private, professional, and community service contexts. The study reports the results of an online survey with 876 valid participants conducted in Germany. It examines technology commitment, preferences for personal data control, and context-dependent trust in self-managed wallets, internal organizational identity providers, and external federated providers. The results indicate a general preference for SSI in terms of personal data control, which is associated with higher technology commitment and increasing age. At the same time, trust assessments differ clearly by context: while SSI is preferred in private and community settings, internal organizational identity management systems are perceived as the most trustworthy option in professional environments. These findings underline the importance of context-aware identity management designs and suggest that hybrid approaches combining centralized and self-sovereign elements may best align with user expectations.     «

Digital identity management systems constitute a fundamental building block of modern digital services. While federated identity management is widely deployed due to its usability and administrative efficiency, self-sovereign identity (SSI) has emerged as a privacy-preserving, user-centric alternative. However, the suitability of these paradigms depends strongly on the context in which digital identities operate. This paper investigates users’ trust and preferences regarding identity management...     »