4 ms·
You mean a system similar to what almost every non-USA country currently uses? Here in sunny Australia we don't have anything like an SSN, at least not in term
by Jedd 12y ago
You mean a system similar to what almost every non-USA country currently uses?
Here in sunny Australia we don't have anything like an SSN, at least not in terms of secrecy and potential personal disruption were it revealed. We have a TFN (Tax File Number) but lots of non-owners of that number need to, and do, have access to it.
Our bank accounts contain two parts - the branch (BSB) and account numbers. Anyone can get access to those, and in fact we frequently share them in order to receive payments.
The way the US, and I think the UK also, revere such evidently hard-to-protect information means the social designs around them are hugely fragile.
Really, it's not a hypothetical 'there has to be a better way', but simply 'there is a better way'.
- justincormack 12y agoNot aware of a UK equivalent of SSN.
- Jedd 12y agoJustin - you're quite right. NI number isn't anywhere near so powerful. However I was thinking more of the assumption that your Sort code[1] + account number can be kept secret, and more importantly the profound risks to your finances if it is not. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sort_code http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sort_code
- JonoBB 12y agoSort code and account number is no risk at all. You can (and many do) quite happily give this information out.
- justincormack 12y agoIndeed, it allows you to pay me money, you can easily obtain them from invoices... they do not provide any authentication.
- geographomics 12y agoThere is some risk in revealing these, for example: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7174760.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7174760.stm