Regulation, risk awareness and technological advances are increasingly drawing identity search functionality into business, security and data management processes, as well as fraud investigations and counter-terrorist measures.

Over the years, a number of techniques have been developed for searching identity data, traditionally focusing on logical algorithms. These techniques often failed to take into account the complexities of language and culture that provide the rich variations seen in names used around the world. A new paradigm has now emerged for understanding the way that identity data should be searched. This new approach focuses on understanding the influences that languages, writing systems and cultural conventions have on proper names.

A must-read for anyone involved in the purchase, design or use of identity matching systems, this book describes how linguistic knowledge can be used to create a more reliable and precise identity search, and looks at the practical benefits that can be achieved by implementing third-generation linguistic search technology.