In the movie The Net Angela Bennett, played by the actress Sandra Bullock, returns to her hotel in Mexico after being hospitalised for several days following an incident in which her purse, containing her passport and credit cards, was stolen. She goes to the Registration Desk to pick up the key to her room.

Angela: ‘I need my room key for 206 please.’

Clerk: ‘What was the name?’

Angela: ‘Angela Bennett.’

Clerk: (Checking the hotel computer) ‘No, I am sorry, Angela Bennett checked out last Saturday.’

Angela: ‘No, sorry, you don't understand. I am Angela Bennett. I am standing right here. I didn't check out.’

Clerk: ‘I am sorry, it's not on the computer. Let me check my records.’

(Scrolling through information on the computer screen) ‘No. Angela Bennett, she checked out last Saturday.’

Angela: ‘No, I didn't check out. I would know if I checked out. I didn't check out.’

Clerk: ‘According to the computer you checked out. There is nothing I can do for you, ok. I am sorry.’

Introduction

In an environment in which transactions are not based on personal relationships, an individual's identity must be established by providing information that is verified by comparing it to a referent standard. Under a national identity scheme like the NIS, the referent standard is the national identity register, whether it takes the form of a central register as originally planned for the NIR and the ACR, consists of several databases, or uses linked data.