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This is simple, I just need a government issued public/private key, a government username/password, a government OAuth servuce and a government mobile authentic
by test6554 9y ago
This is simple, I just need a government issued public/private key, a government username/password, a government OAuth servuce and a government mobile authentication app.
Most people won't even need to know the public/private key exists, but techies can leverage it to automate their lives some day.
Let's say I want to open a bank account with bank X. So I go to bank X's website and click open an account. Select my country and it redirects me to an oauth login page for my government. I log in and authorize the bank to view my basic identity info. Now the bank knows who I am and I can finish opening the account.
For in-person interactions, I could have my phone scan some person/company's public key in the form of a QR code and generate a qr code of my own that will let that company instantly authenticate me (airline, cruise line, police officer, etc.) with the government, but that same qr code will not do anything with any other person who sees my code because it is encrypted with the company's public key.
My government password can be reset if compromised and I never have to give out to anybody which puts it miles ahead of social security numbers from day 1. My phone is secure if lost, because it requires my government password to unlock the app as well as some biometric information.
- ChrisBland 9y agoWhat about those who do not own a mobile device, or those not comfortable with technology. We live in a large country, and we must have support for ALL of our citizens, not just our younger tech-savy ones. Go to a community of 65+ year olds and explain this to them. You'll get back blank stares. its a non starter.
- anindha 9y agoMake it opt-in. Anyone who isn’t comfortable with the change can continue to use their SSN.
- Godel_unicode 9y agoEvery business will then continue to just use social security numbers since everyone is guaranteed to have one. Half measures won't work, that's how we got here in the first place.
- anindha 9y agoOpt-in for the customer not the business.
- Godel_unicode 9y agoI got that. So everyone will have a SSN and only some people will have the new thing. My point stands. We have lots of evidence in security that this type of suggestion leads to problems, see for example export-grade crypto.
- test6554 9y agoStart the conversation with "Have you or a loved one ever experienced identity theft?" "How long did it take to get things fixed?" "Since your social security number never actually changed, what's to stop you from having new issues 5 or 10 years from now?" "The cost of a pay-as-you-go phone can be less than the cost of "Identity theft protection" If that doesn't work, let them opt out.
- pdkl95 9y ago> not just younger tech-savy ,,, 65+ year olds > those not comfortable with technology Or those of us that are comfortable with technology refuse to carry tracking devices in this post-Snowden world. The internet is already creating far too many interdependencies that will have unforeseen consequences and create the risk of cascade failure. I strongly recommend to anyone that wants to tie something as important as government services to the internet that they listen to Dan Geer's recent-ish talk[1][2], and maybe reconsider the kind of future they are trying to create. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcIiD4UUDE8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcIiD4UUDE8 [2] http://geer.tinho.net/geer.source.27iv17.txt http://geer.tinho.net/geer.source.27iv17.txt