SSN is too public for it to be private or secret. Multiple employers, schools, medical institutions, financial institutions all ask for it, so it's not private.

SSN is too public for it to be private or secret. Multiple employers, schools, medical institutions, financial institutions all ask for it, so it's not private. It's also treated as evidence of who you are, but it isn't tied to identification like an ID is. These institutions use it without ever truly validating it. It's similar to how records fraud can occur - people can record anything to the local registrar office, including fraudulent documents, without any checks. Once it's registered, it becomes evidence against the real owner. It's really messed up.