While we're at "papers, please", what are your thoughts on eID?
Germans must have a national ID card if they're 16 or older. You don't have to carry it with you, but you must have one. That's just for background, and for another discussion. What I'm curious about is what you think of the new version that will be introduced in November. Other EU countries have similar plans.
I have mixed feelings about this. I have an instinctive negative reaction to it. But on the other hand, I have to admit I find some of the features pretty exciting.
Here's a short summary of the eID features that come with it and that relate to the Web, some are opt-in, others opt-out:
The ID card includes your name, address and date of birth, plus (optionally) a key for electronic signatures. You'll be able to use those online, with an external card reader, and have to authorize all transmissions with a PIN after reviewing the data to be sent.
Service providers can't just access all of the data. They are required to justify the access, and get a certificate for which kinds of queries they can make from a government agency. At the lowest level, those are yes/no queries, like "is the user 18 or older", or "does the user live in city X." It allows users to open bank accounts online, and improves security for existing services like doing your taxes.
It can also generate a unique and persistent ID that is tied to a domain or service (pseudonym.)
Here are some slides [PDF] and more information.
Thoughts?
Posted May 14, 2010, 2:17 PM UTC
i think its a pretty good idea. i dont personally have much problems with the "papers please". i figure its only a matter of time until drivers licenses here in america basically become one big personal id. all the licenses you like fishing, hunting, boat, concealed carry, etc.,will have will be put on your drivers license and can be accessed by any card reader set up to read the info on there. and id be cool with that
What I'm mostly curious about is the online aspect of it. I don't have many issues with being required to have one, either, but that's mostly because I'm simply used to it. There's a bias towards (what is for me) the default.
It was strange not being able to rent a movie in Australia because I didn't have two forms of ID -- all I had was a bank card, because oddly enough opening an account was no problem.
That it works online goes a step further, though. Those features are very convenient. They help with issues like password safety and online identity theft. I especially like the pseudonym feature. It's good that querying the data is only possible selectively after a need has been established and has to be verified by the user.
However, this will have the effect that it will be required for many services that currently work on a pseudo-anonymity basis. If a site like Reddit used the pseudonym feature for account authentication, then possibilities like throwaway accounts would become a thing of the past, and I don't think I like this aspect.