• EbbyA
    link
    1
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I’m getting “wallet” vibes which should absolutely not be where one keeps important documents. I had mine in a shoe box under my bed as a teen and it survived unscathed.

    Heck, I have a 15 year old free pizza stamp card from a shop that permanently closed in better condition. Haha!

    Edit: someone came through and downvoted every comment for the heck of it? Haha! Youuu get an updoot, and yooou get an updoot… etc.

  • Dr. Wesker
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Slip it into one of the thicker plastic baseball card sleeves. It’s a perfect fit, can be easily pulled out, and provides excellent protection.

  • @nyahlathotep@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Not to defend the social security number system (because it’s terrible for unique identification of individuals and when it was created it wasn’t even intended to be used for that purpose) but you’re not supposed to carry it around with you all the time. It’s supposed to be in a drawer/safe/fireproof bag with the rest of your important documents, and only brought out when you need it.

    • Why make it a card then? If it’s meant to be stored as a document then it should be the size of an envelope, or a standard A4 sheet.

      I keep mine attached to the envelope sized paper it came on. But it shouldn’t be a card shape, that encourages people to carry it. My grandpa always carried his.

      • @agent_flounder@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        01 year ago

        Idk. Maybe because there’s only a few pieces of info on it. Someone would say “why do you need to use a whole sheet of paper for just this?”

      • @Thorry84@feddit.nl
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        Don’t mention A4 paper, it scares the Americans. If any of them could read, they would be very afraid right now.

            • EbbyA
              link
              11 year ago

              sips tea and extends pinky

              Am I doing metric right?

              • Ð Greıt Þu̇mpkin
                link
                fedilink
                01 year ago

                Actually no, the Brits shit on us for it but by most approaches they’re actually even worse than we are

                The bruvs be usin’ STONE out here and acting like they get to crack wise

              • Actually a size. More commonly referred to as “letter” sized. It’s 8x11.5 inches, which is pretty close to A4, but it’ll confuse printers if you mix the 2 up.

                • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  01 year ago

                  but it’ll confuse printers if you mix the 2 up.

                  So far all printers I’ve seen can switch between both. The real problem is your Writer/Word document, because after the slight reformatting it’s now all over the place.

          • It’s a size of paper with an aspect ratio of 1:√2, and the short edge that is 21cm long. The long edge will then be 21√2 = 29.7cm. The aspect ratio has the interesting property that it can be halved and doubled while remaining constant.

            This has been your ISO fact of the day.

              • ISO 7304-2:2008 defines a standard for cooking spaghetti. Subsection 3.9 “Completeness” closely resembles “al denté” but isn’t true al denté; as 3.9 states “no white core visible” when a noodle is inspected crosswise with a razor blade. Al denté phase is sensed via the teeth for texture differential of the inner and outer part of a spaghetti. No agreement has been reached by international consortium of Italian food preparers and dentists as to which tooth is to be used. Thus, the standard must be reviewed every 5 years by sensory analysis.

          • @fsxylo@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            English
            01 year ago

            Right?

            Like just because we export all our media to you (because it’s better) and make fun of our stereotypes in that media, doesn’t mean that most of us are like that. Believe it or not we actually have cool stuff that’s uniquely American.

            And the reason you see Kraft singles is because we don’t want to share our BBQ with you.

            • This is fine🔥🐶☕🔥
              link
              fedilink
              01 year ago

              export all our media to you (because it’s better)

              Lmao. Get back to me when you’ve got something like Taskmaster, Would I Lie To You, or QI.

              • @IronKrill@lemmy.ca
                link
                fedilink
                01 year ago

                America has the Squid Games reality show and Mr Beast. They’re kind of like Taskmaster if the point of Taskmaster was dangling life changing money in front of poor people.

              • @fsxylo@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                English
                0
                edit-2
                1 year ago

                You’re proving my point though? Those all look like C rate game shows that show up in the worst time slots here in the states.

                If you said Doctor who, like 15 years ago, then I’d give you a solid maybe.

                • @yuriy@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  01 year ago

                  American here, you’re straight up wrong. We have no equivalent to their panel shows. Comparing them to game shows is like comparing open heart surgery to being stabbed.

                • This is fine🔥🐶☕🔥
                  link
                  fedilink
                  01 year ago

                  look like

                  Yeah that’s an American problem. Preferring a glossy looking garbage over something non-glamorous but substantial.

                  FYI I’m neither American nor European.

              • @Alexstarfire@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                01 year ago

                We can’t do everything for you guys. We’re holding down the imperial system almost single handedly. Help a brother out.

    • Ð Greıt Þu̇mpkin
      link
      fedilink
      01 year ago

      Every time ya try to fix the NatID problem though suddenly it’s a surveillance state system and not just an efficient nexus for federal services and permissions.

      • @Donkter@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        That’s the thing. At this point, anything that could replace ssn cards will be much more technical and much more invasive.

        • @Kalysta@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          01 year ago

          Does it even matter when data brokers already know everything about you and happily sell that info?

          People freak about national IDs while happily giving all their info to websites like amazon or facebook. It’s insane.

        • Ð Greıt Þu̇mpkin
          link
          fedilink
          01 year ago

          No, it would be less technical since it would cut down the number of cards you have to carry around, and be less invasive since it would drastically raise the difficulty of identity theft

          • They voluntarily put webcams in their houses with several known security issues which transmit everything open in the cloud. And they purposefully have a listening device which transmits to Amazon whatever they talk about in order to be able to listen to music without having to use a mouse or tap on a screen.

            But having an ID with a photo on it? That’s where they put the line

      • @jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        There are some people who don’t want a national ID system because they think that’s like a biblical prophecy. Somehow those people are still allowed to operate heavy machinery.

        Some people don’t want it because they don’t want a functional government.

    • @criitz@reddthat.com
      link
      fedilink
      11 year ago

      I googled it, they say it might obscure security features which would mean it wouldn’t be accepted. They recommend a plastic case that can be removed.

    • @glimse@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      11 year ago

      Security features used to verify the validity get covered when you add a plastic film.

      I’ve been asked for the number many times, of course, but I didn’t think I’ve ever had to show my physical card to someone in my entire life.

      • @Got_Bent@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        I’ve had to provide the physical card at the start of most jobs I’ve had. What’s that form you fill out? I-9?

        Looking at the list of required documents, I may have used a passport at some point as that appears to trump everything, but mine has long since expired and I haven’t been bothered to get a new one.

        • @glimse@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          01 year ago

          The jobs I’ve had have surgery been w9 or 1099

          I needed two forms of ID for my current job and I used my license and passport

        • @glimse@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          01 year ago

          https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110201060

          One or more of the following security features appear on SSN cards issued since 10/31/1983:

          • Tamper-proof background

          • Color-shifting ink

          • Intaglio printing in some areas on the front of the card

          • Latent image on the face of the card visible only when viewed at specific angles

          • Red fluorescent nine-digit alphanumeric number on back (beginning February 1996)

          • Intaglio microtext in signature line (when magnified, the line is actually letters spelling out SOCIAL SECURITY)

          • Yellow, pink, and blue planchettes (small discs) randomly displayed on the front and back of the card

          • Anti-copy pattern that is discernable when the card is photocopied

          • For original cards, a dash in each column on the same line as the SSN

          • Date the card is issued [i.e., Cycle Date (CYD) from the Numident] is printed under the signature line on the face of the card (beginning April 2007).

        • IninewCrow
          link
          fedilink
          English
          01 year ago

          And this is where the weirdness starts. I’m in Canada and early in I learned from a relative who was in government and finances told me that your SSN is only meant for the government and government services and nothing else.

          Banks, companies or corporations do not need to see your SSN no matter what they say. The number was only ever supposed to be used with the government, taxation, government benefits and services.

          Banks and companies just started using it as a shortcut to identify people and connect them to government services and taxation. But it was never a requirement, no matter what they said. It’s the banks and the companies job to verify who you are.

          I started my bank accounts as a teen in the 90s and with a bit of help, I was able to start them without a submitting a SSN. Every job I had, I actively refused to submit a SSN and told them why which with a bit of arguing they agreed. Funny part is, even though I never submitted one, the bank and every major employer I had already had the number anyway.

    • I believe the primary reason is that there are counterfeiting counter measures, and if you laminated it, it would make it hard to use verification methods that allow you to make sure it’s a real one. They want to know that it is not copied, altered, or otherwise illegally fabricated.

      Also, it should be noted that this is an identification card that can allow you to do crazy things like apply for official documents and loans. This number is extremely helpful for people wanting to steal your identity. I believe the idea is that if you lose it, it should degrade and disintegrate so you can get a new one without worrying that your identity will be stolen. Although, this is just my speculation.

      • Also, you’re not really supposed to carry it around with you, the ideas that you would put this in a safe document storage place until you need it for something specific.

      • Jessica
        link
        fedilink
        English
        01 year ago

        Stick it in your microwave oven on high for about 10 minutes.

    • @667@lemmy.radio
      link
      fedilink
      English
      0
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      The intent is for it to completely disintegrate by the time you need to claim benefits and can’t remember your SSN.

      j/k, the completely disintegrating part is true, the last part is that there won’t be any SSN benefits by the time Gen Y and later gets around to retiring.

      • @Coasting0942@reddthat.com
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        There will be benefits. Congress has at least five courses of action they can take but will just leave it till the last minute for drama and to make people vote.

      • @Tinidril@midwest.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        01 year ago

        The whole design of the SS system is that current workers pay benefits for current retirees. The trust fund was created later in preparation for retiring boomers.

        At worst, it goes back to the original system and benefits get reduced to match what workers are putting in. That might be as high as a worst case 20% reduction, but it’s not going to go away entirely. As others have mentioned, even that is completely avoidable.

      • @Takumidesh@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        This is right wing rhetoric meant to convince people that cuts to social programs are needed as a way to make social services solvent, fyi.

        Social security is funded by the current tax payers, taxes were raised so that the social security could have some extra money to buy us bonds, allowing them to cash in those bonds later when boomers retire en masse. Eventually the bonds will be gone and social security will be ‘insolvent’ but this is ok! Social security is always being paid into and social security can be paid out with general funds, or by increased tax rates, or by increasing the cap on SS taxes.

        There is not actually any indication that social security is going anywhere other than Republican fear mongering.

            • @WarmSoda@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              0
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              The only thing anyone’s ever done with it is photocopy it. Lamination doesn’t affect that at all.

              There’s no “security measures” on mine. Maybe there is on more recent ones though.

              • @andrewta@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                01 year ago

                I was born in the seventies. So not much in the way of security there. Maybe the newer ones have something for security and it’s just a blanket policy.

  • @chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    0
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Fun fact, there is a lifetime limit for the number of replacements you can get for these (I forget but I think it’s like 12), if you lose too many no more social security card for you

  • @JordanZ@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    0
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Mine is still in the envelope it came in nearly 40 years ago and is still attached to the perforated paper card. Why carry it with you and destroy it? I’ve never on a whim needed to show it to anyone.

    Edit: missed a word.

    • Yep. There’s no reason to carry this around with you on the daily. Stick it in a file in a safe file box of some sort. I can’t remember the last time someone asked for a physical SS card…maybe when we applied for my kids’ passports? No idea.

      • Jojo
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        Maybe OP applies for a lot of jobs and is brown enough to be told they need to actually see it? Iunno

  • @rekabis@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    01 year ago

    Canada issues their SSN cards in hard plastic, which IME is far superior to any credit card plastic. It’s been in my wallet since 1990 and while it looks old, it’s in better shape than almost all of my credit cards - none of which are older than 5 years.

  • @FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today
    link
    fedilink
    01 year ago

    I’ve kept mine in a tight card slot in a leather wallet for longer than some of these commentators have been alive and it honestly still looks great.

  • spez
    link
    fedilink
    English
    01 year ago

    Why are you not allowed to laminate it?

  • linuxgator
    link
    fedilink
    English
    01 year ago

    I’m pretty sure that they removed the restriction on lamination at some point. But I’m not really sure.

  • Hazmatastic
    link
    fedilink
    01 year ago

    I’ve heard blur is not destructive. Please use a paintbrush on 100% opacity if you do this

      • ChaoticNeutralCzech
        link
        fedilink
        01 year ago

        Actually not always, there is a script that can recover text from mosaic’d screenshots if the font and pixellation technique is known. I just use a fake mosaic.

    • @holomorphic@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      01 year ago

      Depends on the kind of blur. Some kinds can indeed be almost perfectly removed if you know the used blurring function, others are destructive. But, yes, don’t take that chance. Always delete/paint over sensitive information.

      Source: we had to do just that in a course I took a long time ago.