[LINK] Number One Privacy Debacle

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Deus Ex Machina wrote:
> Karl Auer [kauer at biplane.com.au] wrote:
> 
>>This was Number One in the Privacy Debacle Hall of Fame in 2003:
>>
>>1. The creation of the Social Security Number: 
>>Although security blogger Adam Shostack is known for his expertise on
>>information-age data leaks, he considers the creation of the Social
>>Security Number in 1936 to be the "largest privacy disaster in the
>>history of the U.S." Referencing controversy over the card's creation at
>>the time, he said, "Ironically, privacy advocates warned that the number
>>would become a de facto national ID, and their concerns were belittled,
>>then proven right, setting a pattern that still goes on today."
>>
>>See http://www.wired.com/news/politics/privacy/0,71622-0.html
> 
> 
> its extremely easy to be negative about this without weighing up the
> benefit that having the SSN actually produces.
...
Presumeably from the fact that it is the common identifier across many 
systems. I wonder if a tacked on Smartcard can acheive the same benefits.

Marghanita
  --
Marghanita da Cruz
Ramin Communications
http://www.ramin.com.au/
Phone: 0414-869202
Email: marghanita at ramin.com.au