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by anonymousisme 1693 days ago
"It's largely because there is no "National ID" system in the US (due to political reasons). That makes it hard for companies to track people, and the SSN is the only number that people consistently have."

"Real ID" is now a thing. It's a "National ID". https://www.dhs.gov/real-id
2 comments
2fast4you 1693 days ago
> REAL ID is a federal law, not an actual piece of ID. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005. The act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver licenses and ID cards.

https://www.dol.wa.gov/about/real-id-overview.html

REAL ID doesn't sound like a federal ID system, it's just security standards for state issued ID cards.

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anonymousisme 1693 days ago
If states are complying to federal standards for ID, then it is effectively a federal ID.
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2fast4you 1693 days ago
But they aren't issued or backed by the federal government. There isn't a national database for it, each state still has it's own system
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throaway46546 1693 days ago
There is a national database. It is called SPEXS.
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outworlder 1693 days ago
No it isn't. This might be the case when SSNs stop being requested for non social-security purposes and 'real id' starts to get used in its place.

People don't necessarily have them either. Only those who have chosen to do so at a DMV.

SSNs are often assigned at birth, for people born in the US.

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