Social security numbers should be PGP public keys. The government can host a key server, and that way anyone can generate, upload, or change keys easily.
Plus, it would mean everyone has to learn how to use pgp crypto, which would mean we might actually be able to make the web of trust a reality. 🙂
and then the next carrington event happens and everyone is FUCKED
When that happens, our social security cards are going to be the least of our concerns.
Just put it in a baseball/pokemon card case. Easy enough to get out.
I’ve had mine stored safely in an old wallet in a random drawer somewhere in my house for… My entire life at this point.
I have only once ever had to present my card. Sits in a bankers box in storage somewhere, I think?
And is also required to be sent to Banks and other organizations that are historically terrible at cybersecurity.
Your SS card is a joke. You can flush it down the toilet. If you need a new one it’s like a 5 minute visit.
Uh… Americans have a lifetime maximum number of reprints.
What are you doing that requires you to replace your card more than 10 times?
Homelessness, house fires, theft, things that are only going to be more common over time?
If all those things happen to you to the effect that you need to replace your card TEN fucking times then you have much bigger issues than your need for a useless card.
It’s not useless, unless you have a passport you are required to have a SS card for employment; and yes some people have bad fortune. In failed states like the US there’s no real safety net so all additional pointless barriers hurt extra worse for those few percent that are extra unfortunate.
My mom laminated both mine and my sister‘s card back in the 80s and we’ve never had any issues with it at all. I opened my first bank account after high school the bank teller lady looked at it and said “wow that is clever!”
My old card was laminated, that and a birth certificate. Dmv refused to take either because of the lamination.
Does the lamination make it impossible to see the watermarks? Because that seems like a legit reason to reject them. Even if the system is flawed with this restriction 🙈
Been there, done that (not American, similar scenario, different card). I felt the person at the counter wasn’t in mood and was trying to make my day worse. Just saying “You legally have to” and if not they won’t budget, “I would like to speak with your superior”.
I keep mine in a plastic sandwich bag
I think my Dad has mine filed in a drawer somewhere. I’ve literally never once used the actual card.
New York State requires you to present the actual card to get a license (at least in some circumstances). It was a whole ordeal for me.
You ever had a job? Every job I’ve had wanted to photocopy the original card along with my ID
I’ve never had a job ask for it. The most they’ve asked for is two forms of id and I used drivers license and passport.
That’s true, they just want two forms of ID and I’ve never had a passport. Good point.
You’ve made a classic blunder, OP. I have your name and social security number now!
It took me 45 mins at the social security office to get a new one. It ain’t that serious
:pinches bridge of nose:
I’m reminded of talking with bright eyed product guys at work.
It’s not enough to cover the happy path. You have to consider all the edge and corner cases, too. Sometimes people don’t have all the documents they “need” to get a new card. Every hoop you jump through takes a toll, emotionally and in opportunity costs.
Do it without an id or address. You can’t get an id without an address and you can’t get the card without your id or birth certificate which you also need an id and address. You can’t get a job without an ss number. So if you don’t at least know your number, then you’re fucked.
I can’t remember the last time I had to show my card. Usually things have multiple options. Like I9 forms take the social security card, birth certificate, List C docs on https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents
Or places will cross reference with the IRS for certain loans instead of seeing the card since the number is needed and verified through that.
If you memorize your number or at least the last 4 digits, you don’t need to reference it either.
Hopefully things have moved on from the 90s when my state university used it as our student ID number and printed it on the front beside our picture. So we had to show it to people a lot.
You can get a replacement card pretty easily. You just can’t get a replacement too many times (I think its 4 or 5) before they become annoying about it.
I looked it up, recently; supposedly only 3 replacement requests in a year and only allowed 10 in your entire lifetime.
What happens if you use up all 10? They kick you out?
There you go, that was it! My brain landed somewhere in the middle.
Just replaced mine not that long ago (it had basically fallen apart in the folder it was in).
Now you need to show up in person to an office, and depending on where you are and how many staff got cut that can be difficult.
You can still do it online.
My mom laminated mine. Never had an issue.
The reason given is that it might interfere with the “security features”. Honestly, if you use a matte, high quality lamination pouch, it will most likely work just fine and you won’t ever have issues.
It has security features? It looks like it would be better suited for saying Admit One to the local county fair
Maybe it was cold lamination? Honestly I didn’t know you couldn’t laminate a social security card.
Yeah, I think it is cold. Basically two clear stickers you carefully apply then cut it out.
You can’t, but since you (almost) never need the physical card, you could go a long time without anyone caring. It’s possible that if some government agency needs to see it, they may get grumpy and not accept a laminated card. I know it’s happened to some people with my employer.
I’m in my 40’s and the only thing I can remember is a couple of times getting the stink eye and a comment or two. Everyone has accepted it fine.
immigrant here. I had to show it a few times for really minor stuff like booking my driving test.
I took a wry pleasure in saying, “are you sure? It literally says right on it not to show you.” But of course would quickly cave cuz you know I need to have a driving license.
My understanding is that it’s printed on such flimsy paper as a sort of identity loss protection. If you lose it somewhere it’ll degrade quickly to the point it’s unusable, hopefully before someone else tries to use it. The downside is, of course, that if you don’t protect it with supreme care, it will also degrade to the point it’s unusable.
