FOX Business News has published an article about Online ID.  They say participation in the program will be voluntary (good — there are a lot of online transactions that do not and should not require authentication back to a specific person).  It is being touted as an improvement over today’s archaic and dangerous username/password verification system.

Sure, if they could get the system implemented and if they can get people to understand how to use it, it has potential to allow many more trusted transactions to take place on line.

I’m reminded of the military’s efforts to get everyone to use signed and verified email with the Common Access Card (CAC).  Yes, that wonderful card that was going to allow access to the internet, verifiable signatures via email, building access, and maybe even allow the use of replicators in the dining hall (ok, I made up that last one).  This was all supposed to happen more years ago than I can count.  To my knowledge it’s being used to gain access to the network, but electronic signatures, as far as I know, are still hit and miss.  Why?  People don’t understand them and can’t get them to work.  The CAC cards are fragile.  They have an expiration date of three years from date of issue, but I was never able to get one to last that long before it wore out and had to be replaced.  Once it dies, you are locked out of the network and the ability to do any work.  You just hope your personnel unit’s system is operational on the day you need to get it replaced.

With online ID, issued by the state (according to the article), I imagine getting your credentials replaced would be like going to the DMV but probably more often.  I wonder if some states would incorporate it into the driver license/official ID card model?  In the military, I did not have to pay to get my ID card replaced when it died an untimely death.  Don’t count on that luxury with your state-issued Online ID.  I predict an easy $20 or more to get it replaced if it quits working.  What happens if you lose it? Does that mean your identity has been compromised in an irretrievable way?

But, more to the point, the Department of Defense has been trying to implement a system that sounds very much like this for well over a decade, and after huge efforts to educate a captive audience and a massive expenditure of time, intellect,  and money, they are only incrementally successful at meeting their ultimate goal.  For this to take place on a national scale, even voluntarily, might be difficult to impossible at best.  On the other hand, maybe if if it is voluntary, the effort might be more successful.  There are businesses trying to get their model for this infused in the infrastructure.  Maybe a capitalist, free market approach, over time, will result in a successful implementation and acceptance.

Remember the days when you could move to a new town and essentially get a fresh start in life?  Some of you do, but many of you are too young to ever know what it’s like not to have a Social Security Number from birth.  To some extent, the internet allows someone to do that (not as completely as the “old” days, but close).  I sense those days are drawing to a close.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you’re watching the wild west frontier days of the internet draw to a close.  I hope you appreciate the historical value of living in these times.