Social Security Numbers should have passwords

I had this idea a long time ago - Social Security Numbers should have password protection to reduce identity theft.  I happened to be on a ski lift when it came to me, and I told this stranger I was riding the lift with about it.  He happened to be an aide for a US Representative from New York. 

I followed up with him, and formally submitted the idea.  I got a nice letter back thanking me for the suggestion, but it went nowhere after that.  That was 2004.

Someone sent me a video regarding how people can get private information from copiers, and that brought the concept back into my conciousness.  What I didn't have in 2004 that could maybe make this happen is Facebook.

So, I have started a little experiment by creating a Facebook group.  I then invited all 600+ friends I have on FB, and encouraged a few other key people to make a post on their page.  I have 17 members so far.

Next, I submitted the simple idea to CNN, to see if it would get promoted.  Obviously, the group itself is nothing more than a daydream fantasy of someone who works on computers all day today, but wondering if this idea has enough merit to get that viral traction necessary to get noticed by Congress. 

I find it interesting that without any effort, of the members who already joined the group, 23% are NOT currently friends of mine.  In a matter of a few hours, it's already reached beyond my "inner circle". 

The key to this experiment is that the idea is basically one that has few, if any enemies.  Well, those that steal identities for a living, or profit from that, I guess would not be pleased.  But, we can live with those enemies.  The idea isn't a left or right, Republican or Democratic idea.  It's just a plain old good idea.  Nobody has to think to hard to get it, and it doesn't require allegiance to anything to get behind it.  We all have oodles of passwords in our lives, and it seems the time has come to protect something that 100% of Americans should value - their Social Security Account and Number.

We shall see where this goes!