Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Pendulum Swinging Toward Privacy

Posted by kdawson on from the watch-that-swing dept.

netbuzz writes "The New York Times reports this morning on a gathering movement to remove Social Security numbers from online public records. While justifiable, given the reality of and concerns about identity theft, it also doesn't take much to imagine how such concerns will be abused by public officials who are strapped for cash and/or ethically challenged."

2 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Re:SSN is an account number by malchus842 · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's simply a string of numbers indicating where money is stored for social security benefits.

    There's no money stored anywhere. Social Security is a "pay as you go" system, and any excess funds are replaced with Treasury Bonds (IOUs from the taxpayers to fund Social Security in the future). At some point, the tax needs of repaying those bonds, as well as covering new retirees will exceed the ability of the workforce to pay - unless a significant change in the system is enacted.

  2. Re:Doesn't Matter by nsaspook · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you have a old SSN card like mine it says on the bottom

    FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND TAX PURPOSES-NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION

    This is from about 1970ish.

    --
    In GOD we trust, all others we monitor.