Proposed Law Requires Apple Pay Users Show Photo ID

Apple Pay, Apple's new wireless, NFC payment method, is a clear step towards a future where customers no longer have to deal with pulling a card out of their wallet, typing PIN numbers, or signing receipts when making payments. We just tap/swipe our phones and we're done. But one lawmaker doesn't like that idea and still wants us to continue digging in our wallets at the register. Missouri's Joshua Peters (D) from the House of Representatives has proposed a law that requires a photo ID be shown by anyone making a smartphone-based payment.

Despite the fact that finger prints are one of the most unique pieces of data for bio-authentication, and that Apple Pay has been praised for its strong security, Peters argues that the requirement of showing a photo ID, such as a driver's license, each time a payment is made will prevent credit card fraud in the event an iPhone is lost or stolen. Even worse, the law would also make retailers record the license number to avoid being held liable for illegal purchases made with a stolen device.

It should be a no-brainer that the requirement of a finger print can be just as, if not more, secure than a photo ID, not to mention a PIN number typed when swiping a card. Plus, we've all seen recently how good retailers are at securely storing our personal data.

Peters' good intentions aside, requiring a photo ID to go with each Apple Pay purchase will do little to reduce fraud, and the inconvenience could even push people to stick with using a credit or debit card over their smartphone, which is even less secure than NFC-based payments.

At least we can take comfort in the fact that the bill was only presented earlier this week, and still requires a long journey before being voted on to become law, so its chances of lasting that long are hopefully slim.

SOURCE Mac Observer