security...

I've been thinking a lot lately about personal security in an ever-expanding electronic existence. My life becomes more and more digitized each day. With each bill I request sent to my email instead of my postal box, and each purchase I make online, I become a little bit more of an e-person. This simplifies many of the mundane, previously-irritating things that one must accomplish on a day to day basis. In a matter of seconds I can check my bank accounts, find out how much the concert I want to go to will cost, buy the tickets, and invite six friends to come along. Bits of personal information leak into the highly organized pool of ones and zeros. There are parts of me on the servers of Yahoo, Wells Fargo, Amazon, Ebay, Blogger.com, Expedia, Google, Hotmail, Musician's Friend, Best Buy, Circuit City, Home Depot, Uhaul, Utah State University, and, well, I'm sure there are a lot more.

The common sentiment of the average person is that one should keep the social security number relatively secret. However, I am asked for it at every turn. Looking for a job one is asked to fill out applications supplying all kinds of personal information, and you don't even know if the company might be hiring.

So, if I am to keep it private, why is it so easily accessible to nearly anybody who might be interested? Things have become so loose that I'm absolutely sure I could get on my personal phone, and with a little bit of creativity come up with several names and social security numbers. Few are the people that say, "Why do you need my social security number? Is it necessary?" I never have. Should I start? I don't think that I could.

If it were a general decline in the importance of the social security number as a form of personal identification, it wouldn't be such a concern to me. However, there seems to be a double standard. If I am filling out job applications, or buying a cd, or renting a trumpet, I should supply my social security number. I should give it out like candy, with very little concern. If I ask the person collecting my number if it's necessary, I will be told that it is, and treated as though my concern is silly.

However, if I want to make a substantial electronic withdrawal from my bank account, or electronically purchase a 6 week vacation to Bolivia, or register for 20 credits at the university I may be attending, I need not supply much more than my name, social "security" number, maybe an address, and if security is very, very tight, my mother's maiden name. All of this information is relatively simple to come by.

All I'm saying is that there is this incongruent standard of security. Situations like these are a very big deal. So far I've had no problems. Knock on wood.