The notion of online verification is certainly nothing new, though it is also not for everyone. Many users prefer the anonymity of the Web for any number of (sometimes nefarious) reasons. For others, a centralized login and identity management resource is an ideal solution for the modern times, and these kinds of systems are blossoming. OpenID itself is experiencing broad adoption by the�largest�players�in�technology�and�the Web, though consumers have�not been as quick to hop on board. Facebook Connect has taken off as both a single sign-on launchpad and activity syndication mechanism, but the newly launched, London-based�MyID.is�may be the first to tackle the challenge of tying our Web personas with our real world identities.

MyID.is' approach is simple, though it takes some time to get set up. The company is an OpenID provider, and it adds a key element of real world ID verification by charging a small, random setup fee (between �2 and �5) to your credit card, then mailing a code to your home address. Much like PayPal's account creation process, you must enter the fee amount and snail mail code on MyID.is' website, and the name on your card must match the name you registered with. After you successfully enter all this information, you'll have a MyID.is-provided OpenID URL and identity with which to badge your blog (pictured above), forum comments, Facebook profile, and just about any other online activity to prove that the content you generate is really coming from you.

Ars asked Charles Nou�rit, founder and CEO of MyID.is, whether this kind of service should be coming from the world's governments instead of the private sector. After all, our governments provide our identification in real life, why not on the Web? "Yes, the governments should do this," Nou�rit replied, "but attempts so far have failed. Some countries have tried to get such a system off the ground, but governments can never agree on a standard. I don't see it happening for another 15 years."

For now, MyID.is plans to make money through the initial setup fees it charges. Nou�rit has worked on the company for two years, and it just emerged from an eight month private beta run, so there is plenty of room for growth. Nou�rit says his company will never charge users again to keep or maintain their ID. Premium features will be introduced down the road that add more value, like secure, verified e-mail, or perhaps faxing, for a fee.

Allowing users to publish content through MyID.is (certified, of course) to social media services is still in the works, as are the single sign-on tools. Soon, the company will be a one-stop hub for verifying one's activity online and actually generating that content. We may not be on the verge of a brave new world where everyone's forum handle can be verifiably pinned to a real world face and name, but MyID.is' evolution of the ID management movement shows that there is interest in being able to prove you are who you say you are online.

Further Reading