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by em500 1032 days ago
This might be because most countries nowadays require a photo ID for SIM cards. The Netherlands, UK and US are among the few that don't (yet).

https://prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com/wiki/Registration_P...

1 comments

Photo ID? Then how do you get an anonymous burner phone? Order it online somehow?
In an increasing number of places, you don't (except perhaps by forcing or convincing someone to let you use their identity). Where I'm at right now, receiving SMS or making phone calls require a subscription with photo ID and physical address - prepaids and travel SIMs are data-only these days. The latter ones also require photo ID for service activation.
The whole rationale of the laws in these countries is that you shouldn't be allowed to get one.
But why? It's not anyone's business but my own. If a snotty call phone rep insisted on a treating me like a teenager at a bar they would be some talking and not from my mouth.