The British National Identity Program, which went into effect in mid 2006, has been controversial since its inception. Opponents insist that the retention of sensitive information such as fingerprints, is a violation of privacy and not useful in maintaining security.



Supporters of the initiative claim that the National ID program will, among others, help boost security and prevent illegal immigration and the infiltration of the UK by terrorists. Blair's latest argument for the legitimacy of the cards consisted of over 28,000 personal letters written to citizens who have gone on the record against the National Identity system. In them, Blair presented a case for the prevention of identity theft.

Terrorists routinely use multiple identities -- up to 50 at a time. Indeed this is an essential part of the way they operate and is specifically taught at Al-Qaeda training camps...One in four criminals also uses a false identity. ID cards which contain biometric recognition details and which are linked to a National Identity Register will make this much more difficult. I recognise that these arguments will not convince those who oppose a National Identity Scheme on civil liberty grounds...They will, I hope, be reassured by the strict safeguards now in place on the data held on the register and the right for each individual to check it.

Blair cited frighteningly high identity theft statistics for Britain, costing citizens about £1.7 billion annually (approximately $3.3 billion USD) and says that biometric data stored on national ID cards is one of the most effective ways of combating this crime. Blair's concessions to civil liberties activists is an interesting twist to the story. The National Identity Program has met widespread opposition since its beginnings, and Blair's attempts to mitigate the civil liberties issues behind the program with its security benefits is an example of his dedication to the program.



Still, though, opposition remains strong, with several large nonpartisan groups developing programs to discourage citizens from registering for cards. This controversy over a National ID card is not unique to Britain, many countries in Europe and North America have been very vocal in opposing any form of National ID program, including the USA's  Real ID and Britain's National Identity Program. These oppositions, along with an increased desire for national IDs in volatile areas like Iraq, raise many interesting questions about national IDs. Could they be a liberating force, allowing people to live safely, or do they point to socialized governments or dictatorships, where "papers" were required for free movement and allowed governments to closely monitor citizens in their everyday lives? Only time will tell.



Resources about National ID Cards and biometric technology:



Home Office - ID Cards - British National Identity Program



National ID and REAL ID Programs - Information about the US and UK movements for national ID cards



Blair Pleads the case for biometric ID cards - Breitbart.com



NO2ID - British site against the National Identity Program



Biometrics and the Future of Identification