[LINK] Number One Privacy Debacle

[Kim Davies]

Quoting Adam Todd on Friday October 20, 2006:
| 
| I don't even think a Social Security number, which is akin to our 
| Centrelink Reference Number is really that big an issue.

As the posessor of a US Social Security Number, I would say that
is a gross understatement of the pervasiveness of social security
numbers. Not only do you need them to access government services, it
is mandatory to have one and supply it to be employed, and mandatory
for such basic things as getting water connected to your house. It is
virtually impossible to get financial services or anything that involves
being billed for service without supplying it. It really is an almost
universal ID that has the capacity of tying your identity across many
different organisations, both governmental and private.

kim