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From: josef@nixpbe.nixdorf.de (josef Moellers)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Interesting case relating to Social Security Numbers
Message-ID: <josef.660296384@ugum01>
Date: 4 Dec 90 07:39:44 GMT
References: <1990Dec2.223620.11428@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Sender: news@ugun13.UUCP
Lines: 28

In <1990Dec2.223620.11428@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> gl8f@astsun.astro.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl) writes:

>There's in interesting case in Illinois, in which Planned Parenthood
>is challenging a state law requiring parents to provide all sorts of
>personal information for birth certificates, including social security
>numbers of both parents.

>The Washington Post today (12/2) quotes Joan Criswell, president of
>Planned Parenthood of East-Central Illinois, as saying "This is not
>public informatin. And once it gets put into a major data bank, you
>lose all control over the information."

Sorry for someone from way over here to stick my nose into this American
issue but from what I see and hear I have the following to add:

Here in Germany (and other parts of Europe) we have very stringent laws
on registring ("Meldegsetz"): You can't move Your bum lest You
report to the local authorities.
In the US this is quite contrary: You don't have to report to anyone,
You can just vanish into thin air and re-appear somewhere else without
anyone knowing who You are and where You come from.
Maybe the SSN is one of the ways or the only way of keeping track of a
person (who wants to lose his social security?)?
--
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