Eaton's solid presentation furthers dialog on a controversial topic. Recommended.

Choice Reviews

This text is thought provoking, highlighting many current approaches to the wide-spread adoption of biometrics. Eaton directs attention to the use of biometric templates to complete what some of us refer to as the triangle of positive personal ID. That concept is the biometric and biographic linkage of (1) each individual, to (2) his/her quality ID document, to (3) remote, control authorities managed, databases of that information. This total system of personal identification can assure accurate ID of each individual, protecting against fraud and facilitating action for the legally entitled person. Positive identificationmust be the cardinal prerequisite for adjudicating each individual benefit or enforcement action. Such issues make this subject an absolutely timely consideration for all world populations and their bodies of government.

Jerry Webster, former program manager of the U.S. Alien Documentation Program

Unmistakably, the events of 9-11 have forced the United States and other liberal democracies to recalibrate the balance between privacy and security. Joseph Eaton's timely book invites a long-overdue national conversation about the need for a reliable system of national identification, and the ways in which advances in biometrics can enhance both security and privacy.

Richard J. Bonnie, John S. Battle Professor of Law, University of Virginia

The text is thought provoking and highlights many approaches to widespread adoption of some form of metrics. Eaton recognizes the importance of national identification cards and in The Privacy Card has the guts to say so, even when it may be an unpopular position to take.

Sir Read Alot Book Review

Even those of us who oppose national ID cards must educate ourselves about the range of possible architectures of identification that can strike better or worse balances between liberty and security. Joseph Eaton's book provides useful information for this important debate.

Jeffrey Rosen, author of The Unwanted Gaze: The Destruction of Privacy in America

Those who stick their necks out and urge upon their community measures that must be taken for its benefit, but which the community resists undertaking, should be showered with medals-especially when their recommendations prove to be very prescient indeed. Joe Eaton belongs at the head of this parade. He has been a lone voice who many years ago recognized the importance of national ID cards and dared to say so in public when it was a very unpopular position to take. We've learned a lot since 9/11. Now the majority of Americans see the world the Eaton way, and not a moment too soon.

Amitai Etzioni, professor, George Washington University; founder of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, From The Foreword