ZDnet: iPhones could be used for citizen ID

Andrew Watson · **Posted:** Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:04:21 +0000

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/ ... 558,00.htm

iPhones could be used for citizen ID

Tom Espiner ZDNet UK

Published: 15 Oct 2009 14:24 BST

Smartphones could identify citizens for access to official services, the government has said in a review of new technologies for public ID.

On Tuesday, the government asked technologists to come forward with ideas for authentication technologies that citizens can use to log on to public sector websites.

Directgov chief technology officer David Matthewman told an audience of IT professionals at the Innovate '09 conference on Tuesday that the government is looking for authentication methods or tokens for use across all government websites.

...

"We believe there is scope for an identity utility that might be leveraged by the private sector," said Matthewman. "We'd like to hear ideas about how you would exploit the opportunity."

Matthewman told ZDNet UK that ID cards would be a part of the government's authentication efforts, but that citizens would be able to use other tokens.

"ID cards are part of this, but we are credential agnostic," said Matthewman. "ID cards are not the only game in town. We recognise the need for choice."

...

Andrew Watson · **Posted:** Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:10:08 +0000

Translation: "We've given up on those bozos in the Home Office, with their Victorian mindset, ever understanding the requirements for authentication in the modern, online, digital world. Instead, we're asking industry for sensible ideas on how to do it. We don't expect anyone to propose anything even vaguely like the Stalinist, centrally-controlled Home Office scheme."

David Moss · **Joined:** Sat, 07 Apr 2007 10:29:05 +0000 **Posts:** 2416

Dematerialised ID wrote:

Smart cards are pitifully under-powered compared with mobile phones. They are a throwback to the old days of rubber stamps and typewriters. Smart card technology is old-fashioned, pedestrian, limited and inflexible. It will stifle innovation.

It is extraordinary that governments should choose to base their ID voucher schemes on smart cards. It is some form of global illusion. At some point soon, we will all look back and wonder how we missed the obvious capabilities of mobile phones.

NO2ID

ZDnet: iPhones could be used for citizen ID

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