In the US, instead of a clear identifier (which saves you time and energy), you have private party intermediaries that make themselves a lazily insecure buffer

In the US, instead of a clear identifier (which saves you time and energy), you have private party intermediaries that make themselves a lazily insecure buffer to provide the same service at a cost. Some have twisted themselves to provide dual service and increase profit in the process (credit bureaus, credit card intermediaries, insurance companies, etc). Entire industries can stoke fear of privacy risks to ensure they have a place in the ecosystem, while at the same time delivering the worst breaches for millions of Americans again and again. The ability to transact without friction creates a lot more value than the perceived protection of entities that pretend to care about your privacy, but have no real incentive to actually do so.