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Website Posts Partial SSNs of Politicians in Protest

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the alliteration-never-gets-old dept.

John3 writes "The Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights has posted partial Social Security numbers for several California politicians to protest their vote against pending privacy legislation. According to a San Francisco Chronicle story, the SSNs were purchased on the Internet for $26." Now there's an effective way of showing the problems of the status quo.

8 of 257 comments (clear)

  1. Change their minds? by Gr33nNight · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This was done after the bill was passed....how could posting the SSN after the fact change anything?

  2. Why only partial? by anthony_dipierro · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just post the whole thing. It's not like it matters. Bill Gates' social security number is 539-60-5125. So what?

    1. Re:Why only partial? by TomGroves · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If it doesn't matter, why don't you post yours instead of Gates's?

    2. Re:Why only partial? by violent.ed · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Any financial institution which uses it as such does so at their own risk.

      Incorrect, they do it at YOUR risk.

      --
      - You're not paranoid, they really are after you.
  3. Trading Card by Jad+LaFields · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Gray Davis trading card, "Privacy Series". Mint condition. Best offer.

    I love it when political groups pull off silly stunts to make a point. Politics grows more and more entertaining and less helpful everyday.

    --
    [SIG] It's like putting a moose in the blender -- a recipe for disaster!
  4. Whoop deedoo by KingArthur10 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you really want to find someone's social security number, you can do it a million ways. Every business they work for has it on record, the credit beuru has it, your D/L has it tied in for police. All anyone really has to do is do a credit check on you, claiming to be a possible employer and such. I am not afraid of my SSN being released. Yeah, someone could really screw with my life, but then, I could sue the heck out of whatever company released it. Anything in life either has to have a SSN or a Birth Cirtificate anymore. Why not just implant babies with chips and call it a day? ;-)

    --
    I came, I saw, She conquered.
  5. "vote our conscience" hahahaha by konichiwa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    from the sfgate article:

    "We should be free to vote our conscience and not be threatened or harassed if we choose to vote contrary to people who are lobbying for special legislation," said Assemblyman Ed Chavez, D-La Puente, one of the lawmakers whose partial number was published.

    What a crock. I wonder how much money he takes from special interest and lobby groups that pay him to "vote his conscience."

    Politicians = soul merchants

    --
    Never argue with an idiot, he'll just lower you to his level and beat you with experience.
  6. Re:Valid Point, but.. by Lord+Kano · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Had they done it before the vote, or gone to each Assembly-person and demonstrated the capability before the vote, that would've been legitimate lobbying. This is just petty and serves to make the Assembly-people less likely to listen to this group in the future.

    I respectfully disagree. This is a perfectly valid way to express dissatisfaction with the decision of these lawmakers.

    "Really assemblyman? This privacy measure isn't needed? Will your position be the same when it's YOUR information instead of ours?"

    I agree 100% with these guys.

    --
    "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano