UK National Identity Cards

In the United Kingdom the Government intends to introduce national identity cards with the introduction of biometric passports. The national identity cards will be issued from 2008 onwards. Passport applicants will be able to opt out of having an electronic identity card (eID) until 2010.

The UK national identity card scheme will use existing technologies. The challenge will be to use these technologies together on such a large scale.

A National Identity Register of adults with biometric scans of faces, irises and all fingerprints will be created.

The introduction of biometrics and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) raise issues about the intrusion of privacy. RFID has the potential to track, report the location and record the history of a citizens movements. Citizens are understandably uncomfortable with the government and various private sector organisations holding initmate information about them.

Not many citizens are happy to have their eyes scanned and images taken of their fingerprints and worse still to have this information recorded in large databases. There is a stigma attached to biometrics. Until recently the technology has been the preserve of the police. Giving someone your fingerprint conjures up the notion of criminality.

Yet biometrics are the most sensible way to determine a citizens identity. Biometrics can not be easily copied or forged and can be used to say we are who we say we are.

It is not yet known if the national identity cards will be available for non-governmental uses, such as two factor authentication to organisations internal computer systems or for two factor authentication for Internet banking transactions.

To be truly useful the national identity card needs to be capable of being used by public sector organisations as a means of e-authentication to enable electronic service delivery to citizens. It could used in conjunction with the the Government Gateway to provide authenticated electronic access to all public sector services.

Involvement with the banking sector would also be a major advantage. Anyone with more than one Internet banking account knows what a headache it is trying to remember all those different PIN numbers, memorable dates and passwords. It would be nice to have a secure identity card incorporating a digital certifcate, that could be used to provide two factor authentication for access to Internet banking and public services.