Perspective: Kiss your old SSN goodbye

Some good might actually come out of all of these recent data mishaps.

Politicians are starting to realize that permitting data brokers like Acxiom and ChoicePoint to buy and sell your Social Security number like a raffle ticket may not be that wise after all.

Some members of Congress, like Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, have been warning about the dangers of SSN misuse for years. The surprise now is that some key congressional figures are agreeing.

Rep. Joe Barton, another Texas Republican who happens to chair the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said last week that he plans to "outlaw the use of Social Security numbers for any purposes other than government purposes."

Purloining someone's SSN can permit a criminal to empty the bank accounts and run up the credit cards of the hapless victim.

The politics go something like this: Some type of legislation is likely to be enacted this year in response to the string of security snafus involving companies like ChoicePoint, Bank of America, payroll provider PayMaxx, and Reed Elsevier Group's LexisNexis service.

The big question is what the details of that law will look like. Barton, a conservative but idiosyncratic Republican who represents the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, could have the final say in that process.

"The time has come to tip the balance in favor of individual privacy and find another way to help businesses determine the identity of the people they want to give credit to," Barton said at last week's hearing.

This would represent a new campaign for Barton, first elected to the House in 1984, whose other top causes have been an unsuccessful attempt to preserve the Superconductor Supercollider that was to have been built in Waxahachie, Texas, and enacting a balanced budget amendment. He's also known for being sympathetic to oil and gas companies and for holding hearings that investigated the fund-raising and travel practices of the Clinton administration.

Relentless expansion
The history of the SSN is the history of a government program run amok, creating what has become a national ID number.

In 1935, Congress enacted the Social Security Act, which authorized only the creation of some record-keeping scheme and not the SSN itself. But the Treasury Department decided SSNs were the best way to create those records, and things have gone downhill ever since.

By executive order, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt required all federal agencies to use the SSN "exclusively" to identify individuals, and the IRS began to employ it as a tax ID number in the early 1960s. Later that decade, divulging your SSN became necessary to buy Treasury bonds, obtain Medicare benefits, and join the military. The

Biography
Declan McCullagh is CNET News.com's chief political correspondent. He spent more than a decade in Washington, D.C., chronicling the busy intersection between technology and politics. Previously, he was the Washington bureau chief for Wired News, and a reporter for Time.com, Time magazine and HotWired. McCullagh has taught journalism at American University and been an adjunct professor at Case Western University.

More Perspectives

Social Security Question

Two things about your story.<br />First, it is important to note that someone has to know your social security number, even under the system where people would not know it themselves.(Doesn't mean fruad won't exist, it just would mean that the number of people that have access to the numbers would be lower.) My suggestion would be why not make it random. We have used DNS to associate Billions of computer nodes on the Internet, why is it that a system such as one designed on the priciple of DNS be floated.(Where there is a central registry of exactly what SSN is being used, but the public face to that number can be changed. At birth or naturalization, the underlying number would be given, hidden under that scatch off material they use for the lottery, with instructions only to remove if there is a BIG problem, along with that the first of the public numbers/word combinations that would actually be used by companies. This allows for change in public without hurting the underlying government references. There could also be put in place a system of immediate password security on the *REAL* number, but that is another topic all together not mentioned in your article, so I will address it another time.)<br />Next, your comment about fixing social security got me to thinking, and I was wondering why no one makes a bigger deal about the fact that we loose billions every year of SS withholding based on the income cap and some of the archaic rules regarding what is considered income.(We take no SS from investment income, we take no SS from huge real estate transactions...etc.) If we want to truely fix the program, then find more money. Raising the cap on the age of a person's retirment is just going to push the problem into the future, we need a way that less people can pay for more retirees, how do you get more money when you have less people, make those that have the majority of the money PAY FOR THOSE THAT GOT THEM THERE!!!! In case you were wondering, the cap is currently 90k on personal income. Just think in your daily interactions how many people you see that make over 90k. Then think about the last time you were in a fast food restaurant, or even a nice restaurant for the most part, those folks are not going to be getting even close to what they need in retirment, yet we as a public utilize the service they provide daily, and if we make over 90k maybe we don't go to McD's all that often but I am sure we interact with people that make our lives doable that don't have the saftey net that those that make over 90k do.<br />Anyway thanks for the time.(And by the way if your wondering if I have sent these ideas to congress, I have sent them to the DNC, RNC, both senators from my state, and 4 congressmen, sent them approximately a month ago without a single response, and we wonder why people don't vote.)<br />Have a good day.

[gerri_leann]

social security

I recently found out that one of my friends is getting social security just because he is an acholic. can you imagine that we are paying for him to sit at home and drink? But the kicker is that he works under the table and does not pay taxes, or even report this income. He worked in Pa for a lumber mill making 100 to 150 a day. And while he is making this money, he is also getting close to 800 a month in government money. if we are to save social security, then we need to look at who we give money to. Ok, if the choice to be drunk all the time is a disabilty, then those on disabilty should be required to live at an assisted living home, and not money to be given to family..they just explot it too..but regulated so that they get the help that they need and weaned off of the system. He works hard when he is not drinking..so what can we do to get these people off of the system? How come we have go support these guys or girls so that they can stay at home and collect welfare...food and money...and it not be used for what is needed? How many millions are being paid that the money is used for drugs? What is our government going to do when the people that cant work depend on this help, and the ones that choose to be an acholic or drug user, use all the income and there is not enough to help those that are really in need?

Social Security Question

Two things about your story.<br />First, it is important to note that someone has to know your social security number, even under the system where people would not know it themselves.(Doesn't mean fruad won't exist, it just would mean that the number of people that have access to the numbers would be lower.) My suggestion would be why not make it random. We have used DNS to associate Billions of computer nodes on the Internet, why is it that a system such as one designed on the priciple of DNS be floated.(Where there is a central registry of exactly what SSN is being used, but the public face to that number can be changed. At birth or naturalization, the underlying number would be given, hidden under that scatch off material they use for the lottery, with instructions only to remove if there is a BIG problem, along with that the first of the public numbers/word combinations that would actually be used by companies. This allows for change in public without hurting the underlying government references. There could also be put in place a system of immediate password security on the *REAL* number, but that is another topic all together not mentioned in your article, so I will address it another time.)<br />Next, your comment about fixing social security got me to thinking, and I was wondering why no one makes a bigger deal about the fact that we loose billions every year of SS withholding based on the income cap and some of the archaic rules regarding what is considered income.(We take no SS from investment income, we take no SS from huge real estate transactions...etc.) If we want to truely fix the program, then find more money. Raising the cap on the age of a person's retirment is just going to push the problem into the future, we need a way that less people can pay for more retirees, how do you get more money when you have less people, make those that have the majority of the money PAY FOR THOSE THAT GOT THEM THERE!!!! In case you were wondering, the cap is currently 90k on personal income. Just think in your daily interactions how many people you see that make over 90k. Then think about the last time you were in a fast food restaurant, or even a nice restaurant for the most part, those folks are not going to be getting even close to what they need in retirment, yet we as a public utilize the service they provide daily, and if we make over 90k maybe we don't go to McD's all that often but I am sure we interact with people that make our lives doable that don't have the saftey net that those that make over 90k do.<br />Anyway thanks for the time.(And by the way if your wondering if I have sent these ideas to congress, I have sent them to the DNC, RNC, both senators from my state, and 4 congressmen, sent them approximately a month ago without a single response, and we wonder why people don't vote.)<br />Have a good day.

[gerri_leann]

social security

I recently found out that one of my friends is getting social security just because he is an acholic. can you imagine that we are paying for him to sit at home and drink? But the kicker is that he works under the table and does not pay taxes, or even report this income. He worked in Pa for a lumber mill making 100 to 150 a day. And while he is making this money, he is also getting close to 800 a month in government money. if we are to save social security, then we need to look at who we give money to. Ok, if the choice to be drunk all the time is a disabilty, then those on disabilty should be required to live at an assisted living home, and not money to be given to family..they just explot it too..but regulated so that they get the help that they need and weaned off of the system. He works hard when he is not drinking..so what can we do to get these people off of the system? How come we have go support these guys or girls so that they can stay at home and collect welfare...food and money...and it not be used for what is needed? How many millions are being paid that the money is used for drugs? What is our government going to do when the people that cant work depend on this help, and the ones that choose to be an acholic or drug user, use all the income and there is not enough to help those that are really in need?

[MCK68]

Keep it simple, simpleton.

The idea of preventing abuse of social security numbers is long overdue, however I strongly resent Declan McCullagh's attempt to use the this story to flog his own lame views about social security reform ("A more radical reform..."). Stick to your expertise and report on the information technology story and reserve your political opinions for a blog.

[declan00]

If you read a column...

If you read a column you should expect opinion. If you don't like what I have to say, you should respond on the merits -- rather than criticizing an opinion column for (gasp!) including an opinion.

[MCK68]

Keep it simple, simpleton.

The idea of preventing abuse of social security numbers is long overdue, however I strongly resent Declan McCullagh's attempt to use the this story to flog his own lame views about social security reform ("A more radical reform..."). Stick to your expertise and report on the information technology story and reserve your political opinions for a blog.

[declan00]

If you read a column...

If you read a column you should expect opinion. If you don't like what I have to say, you should respond on the merits -- rather than criticizing an opinion column for (gasp!) including an opinion.

[Razzl]

Good journalism means staying on point

It's pretty lame to be inserting general opinions of ideology about the Social Security sytem into a piece that's supposed to be about the use and misuse of the number as an identifier. I would expect Declan to express some opinions about privacy and the pros and cons of a universal identifier, but any high school student can see that these throw-in sentences deriding the Social Security system don't flow from the logic of the argument or the facts presented.

[ibam]

Really good journalism imparts something of the writers views.

I want to know from what perspective the writer <br />is coming from. Declan's articles and <br />newsletters are all about privacy issues and it <br />seems to me are aided by his personal <br />assessment of and views on those issues. I <br />don't always agree with him, but I definitely <br />want to know what he is thinking. What I don't <br />want is just a list of facts without assessment <br />of what they might mean. Rock on, Declan!

[Razzl]

Good journalism means staying on point

It's pretty lame to be inserting general opinions of ideology about the Social Security sytem into a piece that's supposed to be about the use and misuse of the number as an identifier. I would expect Declan to express some opinions about privacy and the pros and cons of a universal identifier, but any high school student can see that these throw-in sentences deriding the Social Security system don't flow from the logic of the argument or the facts presented.

[ibam]

Really good journalism imparts something of the writers views.

I want to know from what perspective the writer <br />is coming from. Declan's articles and <br />newsletters are all about privacy issues and it <br />seems to me are aided by his personal <br />assessment of and views on those issues. I <br />don't always agree with him, but I definitely <br />want to know what he is thinking. What I don't <br />want is just a list of facts without assessment <br />of what they might mean. Rock on, Declan!

[Catgic]

The Words of the Prophets are Written on the Webway Walls

All you gray bureaucrat designer slogging tog wearing brethren and sistren out there in the vast e-wasteland quite beating up on Declan?s journalism. He?s doing what needs to be done in getting and keeping the word out on SSN, REAL "National" ID and insidious government intrusion on personal privacy and liberty.<br /><br />My circa Fab Fifties issued OEM Social Security card plainly states on the top center, ?Not For Identification Purposes.? What happened? When I entered the Armed Forces I was issued a separate, unique military service number. Now an individual service member's SSN is their service number. What happened? You can?t buy a home or open a bank account any more without providing your SSN and a picture ID. What happened? I regularly get asked for the LAST FOUR of my SSN and DOB. What happened? WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?asking for the LAST SIX of my SSN along with the date, time and GPS GEOPOSIT of my birth and shirt size? What is happening? REAL ?National? ID just passed. WHAZ HAPPENIN? CITIZENZ?!?<br /><br />You have a choice, disturb the sounds of silence in your pudding pod by removing your iPod ear piece and reading and ratty-tat-tat interacting to Declan McCullagh?s fact filled reporting or listening to bureaucrats and politicians ?talking without speaking?hearing without listening? and plugging your iPod back into your calcium-based cranial echo chamber.<br /><br />Declan has announced he is striking his teepee Inside-the-Beltway and dragging his lodge poles, buffalo hides and Wi-Fi MAC laptop to downtown San Francisco where he will be setting up his new West Coast Encampment of De-Clan. This means he will have get-away week-end access to Monterey-Carmel and Big Sur and ride and utilize BART.<br /><br />With this in mind, let me call the attention of you Well-If-You?ve-Got-Nothing-To-Hide slog toggers to the sign that says, ?The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls?tenement halls? and let me add, in Declan?s webway columns. JP B-)

[Catgic]

The Words of the Prophets are Written on the Webway Walls

All you gray bureaucrat designer slogging tog wearing brethren and sistren out there in the vast e-wasteland quite beating up on Declan?s journalism. He?s doing what needs to be done in getting and keeping the word out on SSN, REAL "National" ID and insidious government intrusion on personal privacy and liberty.<br /><br />My circa Fab Fifties issued OEM Social Security card plainly states on the top center, ?Not For Identification Purposes.? What happened? When I entered the Armed Forces I was issued a separate, unique military service number. Now an individual service member's SSN is their service number. What happened? You can?t buy a home or open a bank account any more without providing your SSN and a picture ID. What happened? I regularly get asked for the LAST FOUR of my SSN and DOB. What happened? WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?asking for the LAST SIX of my SSN along with the date, time and GPS GEOPOSIT of my birth and shirt size? What is happening? REAL ?National? ID just passed. WHAZ HAPPENIN? CITIZENZ?!?<br /><br />You have a choice, disturb the sounds of silence in your pudding pod by removing your iPod ear piece and reading and ratty-tat-tat interacting to Declan McCullagh?s fact filled reporting or listening to bureaucrats and politicians ?talking without speaking?hearing without listening? and plugging your iPod back into your calcium-based cranial echo chamber.<br /><br />Declan has announced he is striking his teepee Inside-the-Beltway and dragging his lodge poles, buffalo hides and Wi-Fi MAC laptop to downtown San Francisco where he will be setting up his new West Coast Encampment of De-Clan. This means he will have get-away week-end access to Monterey-Carmel and Big Sur and ride and utilize BART.<br /><br />With this in mind, let me call the attention of you Well-If-You?ve-Got-Nothing-To-Hide slog toggers to the sign that says, ?The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls?tenement halls? and let me add, in Declan?s webway columns. JP B-)