4 ms·
The worst misuse of SSNs are treating them like some form of ID. SSN's are often thought of as a primary key that uniquely identifies American citizens, and tha
by parsimo2010 7y ago
The worst misuse of SSNs are treating them like some form of ID. SSN's are often thought of as a primary key that uniquely identifies American citizens, and that someone knowing the match between a name and SSN is "proof" of a person being who they say they are. The problem is that none of this is true- SSNs are re-used, so they don't uniquely identify people, and they aren't secret (the weren't intended to be)- millions of people have access to SSN databases to the point where they can't be considered even remotely confidential anymore. And you don't have to be a citizen to get an SSN.
To compound the problem, state Departments of Motor Vehicles have somehow become the arbiters of identity along with the SSN, when neither thing should have done so and very little verification takes place when a DMV issues an ID card. Any true national ID can't be administered at the state level- they might provide the manpower to hand out IDs, but the regulations and centralization should happen at the federal level.
I can go to a DMV with a paper birth certificate that isn't mine (and might not be real) and SSN card that isn't mine, and get a driver's license or state ID if I can't pass the driving test. I can take the birth certificate, SSN card, and new fraudulent driver's license, and get a passport from the post office. That passport, with my picture, is considered "proof" that I am someone else entirely, and I got it without actually proving who I am, because at some point we decided that the SSN card you got as a baby is good enough proof, along with a driver's license (that usually hinges on having an SSN). The crazy part is that you don't even need to be a citizen to pull this off, just know where someone was born and their SSN, put a little effort into making a realistic looking birth certificate, and you can get ironclad proof of citizenship that lets you stay in the USA forever, vote in elections, travel abroad and get assistance from the American embassies, and enjoy all the benefits of being a citizen.
- SilasX 7y agoI don't know how I was supposed to infer those concerns, and your solution, from your insistence on the criterion "don't have to go to a DMV".
- parsimo2010 7y agoI don't know why it's my fault that you inferred that "don't go to the DMV" was my central thesis, when my original comment was clearly focused on the fact that a national ID system would prevent SSN misuse. Not using DMVs was tangential.
- SilasX 7y agoYou specifically said, >SN misuse will stop once the USA has a secure national ID that is free and easy to get (don’t have to go to a DMV). It looked like that nebulous "no DMV" was a core criterion. I recommend you would flesh out ambiguous criteria like that more as you did in the follow-up.
- parsimo2010 7y agoThat thought was in parentheses. According to commonly accepted writing style, that indicates that the thought is ancillary and not completely necessary to the argument being made. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask for clarification on something, but it’s rude to attack me, doubly so in this case because it’s from you misinterpreting something and not me insulting you first. I’m done with this thread, unless you care to bring the discussion back on topic.