88. IDENTITY DOCUMENT

An identity document (also called a piece of identification or ID) is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's identity [disambiguation needed]. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card (IC). In some countries the possession of a government-produced identity card is compulsory while in others it may be voluntary.


In countries which do not have formal identity documents, informal ones may in some circumstances be required.In the absence of a formal identity document, some countries accept driving licences as the most effective method of proof of identity. Most countries accept passports as a form of identification.Information included in ID documents,Information present on the document — or in a supporting database — might include the bearer's full name, a portrait photo, age, birth date, address, an identification number, profession or rank, religion, ethnic or racial classification, restrictions, and citizenship status.


New technologies could allow identity cards to contain biometric information, such as photographs, face, hand or iris measurements, or fingerprints. electronic identity cards or e-IDs are already available in some territories such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Estonia, Finland, Belgium, Portugal and Spain. Morocco is also planning to launch a new identity card of biometric type by January 2007[citation needed].Adoption of identity cardsThe universal adoption of identity cards is supported by law enforcement officials who claim that it will make surveillance and identification of criminals easier.


In the United Kingdom and the United States especially, government-issued compulsory identity cards or, more precisely, their centralised database are a source of debate as they are regarded as an infringement of privacy and civil liberties. Most criticism is directed towards the enhanced possibilities of extensive abuse of centralised and comprehensive databases storing sensitive data.