Re: [privacy] Laptop Stolen From D.C. Home With Personal Data of 13, 000

["David Lodge" <dave () cirt net>]

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:28:15 +0200, Drsolly <drsollyp () drsolly com> wrote:
> >  Sounds like you're not really a fan of the National ID cards.  I'm not
> > either, for numerous reasons.
> That's correct. When I'm asked to provide identification, I offer my
> library card, which contains nothing except my name and signature, but is
> very nicely laminated.

First off: we sort of have an SSN equivalent: the NI Number - though it's  
a lot more transient than the SSN (you can have a temporary one for years  
and it can change quite easily).

Second: What we've also got to be careful of is that the ID Card is  
pushing the whole concept of proving who you real are, rather than  
providing authorisation/authentication for what you want to do.

Banks have recently started to ask for passport or driving licence for any  
major transaction - why? I certainly didn't use a passport or driving  
licence when I opened my account (I didn't have either) - how do they know  
that that is me, not just somebody with the same name?

Even more stupid: under the nebulous threat of money laundering, most  
financial companies are requiring photo IDs for exchanging money for  
foreign money, but you can just take it out of the ATM with no hassles?

It's stupid: why should I have to prove my real name? It is not illegal to  
have more than one name. Why can't the government's/industries efforts on  
"Identity Theft" be concentrated, not on some pointless cataloguing of  
every individual, but on known good ways of authenticating a person to a  
service.

dave
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