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From: andrewb@tekecs.TEK.COM (Andrew Burke)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: social security number
Message-ID: <2271@hplabsc.HP.COM>
Date: Fri, 31-Jul-87 18:28:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: hplabsc.2271
Posted: Fri Jul 31 18:28:33 1987
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Approved: taylor@hplabs

I also dislike giving out my SS#. Schools want it, hospitals and doctors
want it, just so they can have a unique number to classify me under.

I am very interested in who exactly does have the right to that number.
Anybody out there know the law? Anyone have horror stories like
the previous one about GTE? I find these very instructive.

My story about refusing to give out the SS# concerns mostly schools.
They always seem to require a number, probably because they usually
need to get federal aid for the student. I always refuse (unless I
need the aid), and I always am called by someone at the registration
office - 
"Sir, you neglected to fill in this slot...". 
"No, I didn't 'neglect', I just didn't fill it in."
"But sir, we need that number."
"Why?"
"For identication purposes."
"Figure out your own number."
"But..."
and so on...

Of course, the SS# is only one means of identifying a person. If I
needed to find someone, there are many other ways. I just see no
need to make it simple for Big Brother to determine whether I've
taken certain classes, have had my appendix out, or other silly
things that may be important if we ever have another Joseph McCarthy.

andrew burke