Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet ID for all Americans

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by sliverstorm on Sunday January 09, 2011 @03:53PM (#2086375)

I don't have to get (one)

Cool. They've got the OK from me. It could turn out to be neat, and so long as it's optional I'm not worried.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by CWuestefeld on Sunday January 09, 2011 @04:25PM (#2086462)

so long as it's optional I'm not worried.

I've got a bridge to sell you, too.

Social Security Numbers, we were promised, would not be used as personal identifiers. See, e.g., http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02EFD71039F...

FOR many years, Social Security cards carried an admonition that they were to be used "for Social Security and tax purposes -- not for identification."

You've got my personal guarantee that if an optional Internet ID is created today, it will be required before long. This is how the system works. Witness the gradual ratcheting up of (ridiculous) security measures in airports if you're skeptical.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by RickRoll on Sunday January 09, 2011 @06:50PM (#2086826)

That's pretty obvious. Just in a few month government and every established corp will require those for it's online services. Online banking, paypal&co, all app stores, gaming, taxes, healtcare, insurance ...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by CWuestefeld on Sunday January 09, 2011 @07:28PM (#2086940)

Prediction: it'll start with the gov't allowing safe harbor for sites that use these IDs, when questions regarding copyright, pr0n, etc., come up.

If your users post copyrighted material, e.g., then you'll be offered safe harbor only if you enforce registration via the national ID. Same deal for people posting "naughty" content -- which is more insidious than it sounds, because of the overlap between (a) sexual content and privacy concerns in discussions about, e.g., STDs; or (b) in the wake of wikileaks, being hassled about publication of, or support for those publishing, "leaked" data be it from government or from industry.

It's necessary that we provide a way for people to maintain anonymity, but the government wants to offer enough carrots to divert our horse from that path.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by reader5000 on Sunday January 09, 2011 @04:23PM (#2086453)

It'll be optional in the way driver's licenses are. If you want access to any internet service with value (e.g. google, etc.) you will need one. I can see it going that way.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by jschuur on Sunday January 09, 2011 @07:58PM (#2087000)

And what do you base this claim on?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by motters on Sunday January 09, 2011 @05:21PM (#2086618)

The thing about schemes like this is that they remain optional until such time as the majority of the population have them, after which it becomes easy to convert the system to a mandatory one since minority groups can easily be sidelined. Or alternatively they become so popular that it becomes difficult to function as a modern citizen without one (I hope this doesn't apply with Facebook accounts in the next few years).

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by BlazingFrog on Sunday January 09, 2011 @10:44PM (#2087370)

Spot on. When I relocated to the US from Europe, it was impossible for me to open a bank account, rent an apartment or get a cell phone without an SSN. When I explained that to people at the SS administration, they told me that an SSN can never be a requirement to obtain any kind of service. In reality, it's simply not true.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by ghshephard on Sunday January 09, 2011 @11:40PM (#2087499)

Under no circumstances, outside of tax purposes (employment, banking, etc...) can you legally be required to provide an SSN in the united states. Any time I've been "required", I've put up a fuss, and eventually been granted equivalent avenues to provide assurance of payment or reference checks. In most cases this involves a three to four month deposit on the service. Annoying, but given that the organization is entering a commercial relationship with me without knowledge of my credit worthiness, bearable.

I detest these centralized government tracking systems on my activity, and hope that this next attempt on a national ID is quickly defeated.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by rdtsc on Sunday January 09, 2011 @04:39PM (#2086496)

Are you being sarcastic or serious?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Obama administration moves forward with unique Internet I... by sliverstorm on Sunday January 09, 2011 @05:39PM (#2086662)

Both, actually.

[ Parent | on HN ]