I have always thought that the purpose of an ID card is to vouch for an individual who we have never met before and who wishes to perform a transaction for which we need to confirm the identity of that person.
In this context, the ID card issuer acts as a trusted third party who we expect would have done its due diligence on the person in question and who would have issued a picture ID to confirm the same. This then gives you the confidence to proceed with the transaction with the assurance that the person is who he says he is.
Recently, my life has been turned upside down with the incessant request for unexpired picture IDs from institutions with which I have been doing weekly business for more than 5 to 15 years. Continue reading What’s the Purpose of an ID Card?