ID cards have a had a pretty bad press in recent years, and have become the byword for inappropriate government spending. However, the ID cards are not the Orwellian nightmare people would actually believe, and their ubiquitous use is actually the cornerstone of modern security.

Whilst it is true that lumbering the whole of society with an additional ID card (taking into account that passports and driving licenses are effectively ID cards) would be a waste of government initiative, there are certain applications were ID cards are not only helpful, but critical to ensure proper security.

Take visitor labels, for example; a primitive form of ID card but an identification card nevertheless. In terms of functionality this card punches above its weight as, for example, it prevents unauthorised people from being on site, ensures that visitors don’t stray into dangerous parts of a building or building site, and it is a simple way of getting to know people’s names.

On the more serious side of things, card systems are pivotal in the correct security regarding institutions such as prisons, where quick and easy identification of personnel and prisoners is a matter of utmost importance, and an environment where the rugged nature of an ID card (opposed to purely digital systems) is ideally suited to purpose.

So the fact is the more you think about identification cards, the more it becomes apparent that they are more than just potential government policy, but they are with us now. Not only that, but the proper functioning of some of our most important institutions depends on them!