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Friday, April 12, 2002

The Committee on Authentication Technologies and their Privacy Implications is expected to publish a final report later this year. But because the panel believes, based on post-Sept. 11 discussions, that government action is possible before then, it has decided to release the current document.

"Clearly, the legal, policy, and technological issues associated with nationwide identity systems warrant a much more detailed and comprehensive examination," the report said.

Steve Bellovin, a security researcher at AT&T and a committee member, told United Press International much of the day's debate was getting ahead of itself by focusing on specific technical issues.

"The biggest question on ID cards is defining what their purpose is," Bellovin said. "Until you understand what it is you're trying to accomplish, you can't start solving the system issues."

For instance, a system meant to spot possible terrorists before they strike would require access to many large databases and massive computing power. A system that helps investigators reconstruct an incident needs far fewer resources, Bellovin said.

The report raises many other questions, including what contexts and constraints would be placed on government users of such a system, and whether the private sector could access it.

"Once there is agreement on the problem(s) to be solved, alternatives to identity systems should also be considered," the report said. "Serious consideration must be given to the idea that ... no single system may suffice to meet the needs of potential users."

Invasion of Privacy

Although fighting terrorism is the main concern cited in ID system discussions, the report points out possible beneficial side effects. A national ID could help confirm the alibis of criminal suspects, for example, or improve the accuracy of public health information, the report said. There could also be negative consequences, such as invasions of privacy, discrimination and cost.

Another possible problem involves socially acceptable ways of erasing parts of one's identity, such as how bankruptcy information is not maintained permanently. Many people are not aware of the sorts of contexts in which they leave their past behind, Bellovin said. If an ID was meant to track a person for many years, such as part of a trusted traveler program, that information could be used to retain information that otherwise might disappear, he said.

Several countries have been working on national ID systems for years, the report said, but attempting to learn from their experiences might be unwise. The sheer scale of applying a system to the country's more than 200 million adults could render comparisons impossible. If the system were meant to track non-citizens, the numbers involved would only grow, as well as introducing uncertainties from foreign IDs, the report said.

The report is a useful contribution to the national ID debate, said Mark Rotenberg, executive director of Electronic Privacy Information Center. The report quotes EPIC materials at several points.

"Its timing is significant," Rotenberg told UPI. "We're reaching a critical juncture in the policy process. At this point in time, when Congress is considering whether to spend money to create a national ID system, and legislation will soon be pending, it's quite appropriate to have the technical community weigh in on the pros and cons."

Because a brand-new system might be prohibitively expensive, the report is correct in implying today's state and regional systems need more study, Rotenberg said, because they probably would be integrated into a national ID.

The point about integrating current systems is about the only positive point in the report, said Shane Ham, a policy analyst with Progressive Policy Institute, which has issued suggestions for an "improved driver's license" that could serve as a national ID.

"The report is a big nothing sandwich," Ham told UPI. "It does nothing but ask questions that have already been answered."

The issue is not as complicated as the report tries to make it, Ham said, adding that its conclusions are biased toward a privacy advocate's point of view. The present systems do not meet the goals sought by homeland security concerns, he said, but the goals themselves have already been worked out.

The idea of losing the ability to erase information is exaggerated, Ham said. He pointed to Social Security as an example of identity information that outlasts some derogatory details. "Don't confuse identity with identification," he said. "A bankruptcy isn't who you are."

The report correctly noted that an ID card with an embedded computer chip, holding a person's fingerprint or other biometric information, would be a reasonable format for a national ID, Ham said.

Copyright 2002 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

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