Story research question

[angelicminx]

I need to know if there is a personal identification number, equivalent to the United States social security number, in other countries of the world. Help me?

 

[janiexx]

I need to know if there is a personal identification number, equivalent to the United States social security number, in other countries of the world. Help me?

We have a National Insurance number in the UK which you get when you're about 16 and stays with you the rest of your life.

Is that the sort of thing you're thinking of?

 

[cloudy]

I forget what they call it in Canada, but it's basically the same thing as a SSN.

 

[dysphemist]

I forget what they call it in Canada, but it's basically the same thing as a SSN.

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

 

[neonlyte]

Most countries have them, UK as mentioned above. In Portugal, it's an Identity Card number, also a Social Security number, a Tax number...

Did you know you can subscribe to a telephone service which will give you a unique number where you can be reached on any telephone anywhere in the world, fixed lines as well as mobile.

 

[kendo1]

I'm a man, not a number.

 

[oggbashan]

We have a National Insurance number in the UK which you get when you're about 16 and stays with you the rest of your life.

Is that the sort of thing you're thinking of?

We also have an NHS number; a hospital number if we have ever been a hospital patient; a driver's licence number and then various other numbers.

Despite expensive computer systems the numbers are NOT interrelated or crossreferenced.

We have about 5 million more National Insurance numbers than our total population aged 16 and over. The system has more holes than a Swiss cheese.

Og

 

[angelicminx]

We have a National Insurance number in the UK which you get when you're about 16 and stays with you the rest of your life.

Is that the sort of thing you're thinking of?

Yep, that's what I'm looking for. Thanks!

 

[angelicminx]

Most countries have them, UK as mentioned above. In Portugal, it's an Identity Card number, also a Social Security number, a Tax number...

Did you know you can subscribe to a telephone service which will give you a unique number where you can be reached on any telephone anywhere in the world, fixed lines as well as mobile.

Nope, didn't know that, but the information gives me yet another branch for my NaNo story. Thanks!

 

[angelicminx]

Y'all are wonderful, wonderful people. All the information I can get on this issue would be terrific. Think 'Big Brother' (government watching).

 

[drksideofthemoon]

The SIN number in Canada is three groups of three digits as in 123-456-789 unlike the American 123-45-6789

 

[drksideofthemoon]

We also have an NHS number; a hospital number if we have ever been a hospital patient; a driver's licence number and then various other numbers.

Despite expensive computer systems the numbers are NOT interrelated or crossreferenced.

We have about 5 million more National Insurance numbers than our total population aged 16 and over. The system has more holes than a Swiss cheese.

Og

On a totally unrelated subject, I am sitting here reading my mail and looking at your post. (Or if I was in the UK, reading the post while looking at your post). And it got me to thinking....

I wonder if the Queen gets junk mail at Buckingham Palace....

Dear Elizabeth,

You have been preselected to receive the AnyBank Platinum Visa Card....

 

[R. Richard]

We also have an NHS number; a hospital number if we have ever been a hospital patient; a driver's licence number and then various other numbers.

Despite expensive computer systems the numbers are NOT interrelated or crossreferenced.

We have about 5 million more National Insurance numbers than our total population aged 16 and over. The system has more holes than a Swiss cheese.

Og

The problem that prevents the various numbers from being cross-referenced is not a computer problem or a design problem. The problem is a political problem. If the numbers were cross-referenced, then a single computer system could track everything and eliminate things like duplicate/illegal NHS numbers. However, that would mean that each government agency would not longer need an expensive computer system for itself. That would mean less computer systems and less government jobs.

 

[Ness73]

In Australia we have a Medicare number - if you are underage you are on a family card. A number pertains to a family, and to specify which member of the family is receiving treatment is the number of the position of the card, ie if you were listed second on the card it would be 0000 00000 0 2 .
Once you start working, you have to have a tax file number (TFN)- all unique to each person. You have to give your employer your TFN to work, also for some bank accounts and superannuation etc - anything where you may make money that the govt thinks they deserve a cut of!

 

[keyala]

In South Korea they have what (in English) is called a "Citizen's Number." The actual name is "Sahwe Bojang Bawnho." It's usually 13 numbers split into 6/7 format (ie 323232-4545454). It's usually issued at between the ages of 7-17. (Western calender, that's 6-16). The number usually has the date of birth somewhere. Because many Koreans have the same name (except for the unused Chinese character), some numbers use the Western calender for the birthdate while others use the lunar.

Interesting side note, they format Alien Registration numbers the exact same way.

 

[oggbashan]

History (or don't believe politicians)

My NHS number is exactly the same as my National Identity Card Number that was issued to me during WWII. The government scrapped National Identity Cards and subsequent governments have always promised NOT to re-introduce them until the current Labour government decided to plan to start them in the near future.

However, every man, woman and child has an NHS number that is identical to the National Identity Card number they would have been given IF we still had National Identity Cards.

So we have had National Identities all the time. The only difference is that we don't have to carry a card and don't have to produce it on request.

Og

 

[neonlyte]

Nope, didn't know that, but the information gives me yet another branch for my NaNo story. Thanks!

if you are going to use that, you ought to understand it works by dialing into the telephone where you are, a code number, this then routes all of your 'unique number' calls to the telephone where you are.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

With the SINs in Canada you can add the European equivalents. Almost all EU contries now require ID cards - in some countries ythe police call to check your address. Every country in the world has health insurance and driving licence numbers. What about bank and Visa/Amex numbers.

A friend in UK sent me a newspaper article that said, in the UK, you can't walk down a street, go into a shop, catch the bus or subway without being caught on CCTV. Og, is this true - even in NY it's not as bad as that -yet.

 

[neonlyte]

With the SINs in Canada you can add the European equivalents. Almost all EU contries now require ID cards - in some countries ythe police call to check your address. Every country in the world has health insurance and driving licence numbers. What about bank and Visa/Amex numbers.

A friend in UK sent me a newspaper article that said, in the UK, you can't walk down a street, go into a shop, catch the bus or subway without being caught on CCTV. Og, is this true - even in NY it's not as bad as that -yet.

This is true, todays leading news story BBC is about surveillance. We have 4.2 million CCTV cameras, one for every 14th person.

 

[oggbashan]

...
A friend in UK sent me a newspaper article that said, in the UK, you can't walk down a street, go into a shop, catch the bus or subway without being caught on CCTV. Og, is this true - even in NY it's not as bad as that -yet.

Yes in towns and cities. Yes in Post Office and gas stations. No in rural areas and there are plenty of them.

If I walk from my house to the town centre - after the first two hundred yards I COULD be continuously monitored by CCTV for the whole of my walk. If I enter a bank or financial institution I WILL be monitored by CCTV and recorded. If I go into a shop or bar that sells alcohol I WILL be monitored by CCTV. In practice, unless something happens, no one will look closely at the monitor nor will the recorded tape be reviewed.

I could get from my house to the railway station without passing a CCTV camera but I would be on CCTV once I was on the platform waiting for a train.

CCTV locally has reduced some of the mindless, stupid criminal damage. It has not stopped deliberate criminal activity such as targeted shops. All that happens is that the criminals use stolen cars with false number plates (license plates) and wear masks so that their faces are not seen.

Some of our disaffected youths also wear hoods and/or baseball caps so that their faces cannot be seen. However they then wear distinctive and expensive sports clothing so that they can be identified. Duh! Most of the local 'bad lads' can be identified by the police or residents by their walk and mannerisms. If they do something really offensive they are likely to be arrested within hours despite concealing their faces.

On the other hand I do not have to tell a policeman who I am, nor do I have to carry nor produce any proof of my identity unless the Police have reason to suspect me of committing a crime. Of course, the average Joe would cooperate with the Police. Only those who have something to hide are likely to stand on the principle of their rights. Telling a Policeman nothing is not an offence although it may give grounds for the Policeman's suspicion. Telling a Policeman a false name and address IS an offence.

Most UK citizens carry some form of identity because it is needed for using credit cards, obtaining some services etc. A National Identity card MIGHT be an improvement but many are concerned that this government would misuse the information systems. We don't trust our government.

Og