National Internet ID Cards to Come?

National Internet ID cards -- much like driver's licenses -- are being proposed by the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace. Propoents say this is an attempt to enhance online security and privacy, while opponents fear privacy concerns.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke is quick to say this is not a national ID card.

"We are not talking about a government-controlled system," he told CNET. "What we are talking about is enhancing online security and privacy, and reducing and perhaps even eliminating the need to memorize a dozen passwords, through creation and use of more trusted digital identities."

In the proposal, private online retailers would offer customers an account they could use for multiple -- or even all -- vendors, eliminating the need to remember numerous usernames and passwords.

Verizon, Google, PayPal, Symantec and AT&T are some retailers that support this measure.

But is this a convenience or a privacy nightmare?

Comments

[Jamon]

FU!
The last thing we need is now the governments and all the companies knowing exactly what we read and watch all the time, this is completely a lack of privacy. FU

[London Marketing Agency]

This ID Card is very useful for everyone we use it everywhere