Identity Protection and Smart Card Adoption in America

This paper will address smart card technology as a viable alternative to present financial and identity standards, and why it will be woven into the American identity fabric over the next decade. The perceived security value, the increased emphasis on positive identification of U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike, by the federal and state governments (as a result of the tragedies of 9/11/2001), and the new business value propositions, will become compelling reasons to adopt smart cards as a standard part of identity for many applications in the future.