Photo ID Cards. Who Needs them Anyway?

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<h1>Photo ID Cards. Who Needs them Anyway?</h1> <p align=right>by Allen Richardson</p> <div align=justify>It’s surprising to see how many organizations outsource their identification needs. Is it simply because of the expense incurred when an organization decides to implement some type level of required identification cards? Sometimes the identification requirements are dictated by law and other times it’s simply to give an organization a higher level of credibility. Regardless, many companies are finding solutions other than purchasing expensive software and plastic card printers. Being in the ID card industry, I’ve worked for just about every type of organization you can imagine when it comes to producing photo identification cards. When it comes to the selling the services we offer in the industry, it’s almost become a self governing marketplace. An organization with the equipment to provide this type of product has to monitor their own activities since there any not real any types of laws or regulations dictated for them. It’s become a dividing point between plastic card companies to either decide to produce fraudulent identification or only legitimate ID cards. In reality, there is a much higher price paid for fake identification so the temptation to sell this type of product is fairly high. As a point of reference, you can Google “fake ID cards” and find sources that can cost as much as $30 per card! When you search for a solution for a legitimate need, the range is much more competitive and usually in the $5 to $8 range. If you accuse the organizations that have chosen to sell fraudulent identification cards of breaking the law, you have to look at the fine print in their advertisements. Many offer “novelty” identification to anyone willing to pay the price. Or you will find that some may not be based in the same country that their goods are being sold. So deciding that the companies that have chosen to sell fake identification are engaged in illegal activity isn’t always the case simply because of the fine legal lines that are drawn. So when you consider how easy it is to produce or purchase a fake id card, I have to ask myself if identification cards mean anything anymore. Well, just look around and you will find that they are simply required for even the simplest of services. Many banks require two forms of photo identification to start an account or cash a check. The airport requires a form of photo identification and just about any type of secure area requires some form of identification. Legislation was recently passed that allows a retired police officer, if he carries an identification card stating his retired status, to carry a firearm anywhere in the US. Many states are now requiring private detectives and bounty hunters to carry identification to perform their duties. Although you might find it surprising that there is not a government agency that supplies these required ID cards, so all of these individuals have to search out a provider. Beyond being required by law, if I consider an emergency services person such as an emergency medical technician or fireman I even have to admin that seeing photo identification on them makes me much more comfortable. So I guess ID cards are needed even in the sectors of society that are not mandated to carry ID cards. So, as long as our society doesn’t trust someone just upon their word, I’m sure we will be in a culture that requires some form of identification. Future technologies may change what is required for credentials, but in my observation, we will always need some type of photo ID card even if it’s just for the latest book of the month club we joined. </div> <p align=center>Article source: <a href="http://www.ArticlePros.com/legal/Business-Law/article-54197.html">ArticlePros.com</a></p> <table align=center width=550 cellspacing=1 bgcolor=silver cellpadding=5> <tr bgcolor=antiquewhite> <td> <p align=center><b>About the author</b></p> <p align=justify>Founder of http://www.FullIdentity.com and Virtual Tournament Director, Allen Richardson has created applications for registering and distributing identification cards for over seven years. Allen is also the author of Personal Discipline, and serves as a consultant to many organizations such as Southwest Airlines and BNSF Railway.</p> <p align=left><a href="http://www.fullidentity.com" target="_blank" title="will open in new window" class=blue>http://www.fullidentity.com</a></p> <p align=left><script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">eval(unescape('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%61%6c%6c%65%6e%40%66%75%6c%6c%69%64%65%6e%74%69%74%79%2e%63%6f%6d%22%20%63%6c%61%73%73%3d%62%6c%75%65%3e%61%6c%6c%65%6e%40%66%75%6c%6c%69%64%65%6e%74%69%74%79%2e%63%6f%6d%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b'))</script></p> <p align=center><input type=button class=asubm value="Other articles by Allen Richardson" onclick="document.location='http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Allen Richardson'" style="height:20px;cursor:hand"></p> </td> </tr> </table>