Understanding Windows CardSpace: An Introduction to the Concepts and Challenges of Digital Identities

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Identity Consumers

Organizations interested in using Information Cards must ascertain for themselves the role they intend to play in the Identity Metasystem. Initially, there might be a desire to become an identity provider (IP) because at first glance it seems as if having your own branded card is necessary for working with Information Cards. Although having a branded managed card is a benefit, this benefit alone does not make up for all the cost and responsibility that becoming a IP entails.

Regardless of the choice to become an IP, all sites participating in the Metasystem will also fill the role of relying party (RP). RPs that decide to use identities provided by other parties have many other choices to make: whose identities to accept, ...