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Why not FIX how an SSN can be used? It was not created for this purpose but that doesn't mean how we use it can't be fixed. Any time someone attempts to use y

Why not FIX how an SSN can be used? It was not created for this purpose but that doesn't mean how we use it can't be fixed. Any time someone attempts to use your SSN to identify themselves as you, you should be notified and your authorization should be required for that use to be allowed. And the higher the value of the authorization, the more care should be required. Companies are able to do this already with 2 factor authentication. And I think we SORT of have that for change of address, as the Post Office both requires ID and notifies you by mail. Maybe that's really just one factor. Allow people to require as many additional factors as they want. Confirming my identity in 6 ways when I decide to sell my house sounds good. 4 ways when I buy a car. One or none is fine when I make a $10 purchase. Let me decide. And let them CHOOSE what organization manages authentication. A private company might do the job a lot more effectively than the Post Office. Add human methods too. A call from a sibling or child might be one people could set up. Require validation by a notary public.

AnthonyMouse 6y ago
> Any time someone attempts to use your SSN to identify themselves as you, you should be notified and your authorization should be required for that use to be allowed. So now the government needs a way of contacting you. Suppose they have your address and phone number on file. Then you lose your way a while and become homeless for two years. You can't afford a phone and no longer have the same address, and have lost your ID or it expired. You finally start to turn it around and go to open a bank account. The government contacts you how? How do they know it's you? The answer is that it's a new account and you're not trying to prove anything about whether you're the same person who lived at the old address, so you shouldn't have to. And once you have a bank account or a mortgage or such, you and the bank can arrange for any form(s) of authentication you like. It shouldn't have anything to do with the government, and it definitely shouldn't have anything to do with how you authenticate yourself to your job or your wireless carrier.
- stretchwithme 6y ago
  If a new account can never used to establish your identity for other purposes, there's no problem opening such an account without government identifying you.

AnthonyMouse 6y ago

> Any time someone attempts to use your SSN to identify themselves as you, you should be notified and your authorization should be required for that use to be allowed. So now the government needs a way of contacting you. Suppose they have your address and phone number on file. Then you lose your way a while and become homeless for two years. You can't afford a phone and no longer have the same address, and have lost your ID or it expired. You finally start to turn it around and go to open a bank account. The government contacts you how? How do they know it's you? The answer is that it's a new account and you're not trying to prove anything about whether you're the same person who lived at the old address, so you shouldn't have to. And once you have a bank account or a mortgage or such, you and the bank can arrange for any form(s) of authentication you like. It shouldn't have anything to do with the government, and it definitely shouldn't have anything to do with how you authenticate yourself to your job or your wireless carrier.

stretchwithme 6y ago
If a new account can never used to establish your identity for other purposes, there's no problem opening such an account without government identifying you.