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America Keeps Rejecting an ID Card It Already Has

CGP Grey · 13.6M views · 2017-03-29 · 7:49

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Overview

CGP Grey explains the history of the US Social Security card and number, and why they became a de facto national ID despite never being meant for it. He also covers why America resists a proper identity card.

On Hacker News

HN reaches for it in every identity theft and data breach thread as the clearest, most enjoyable short explainer of why SSNs make bad identifiers.

Recommended by 14 HN people across 9 months · HN mentions 2017–2024

Topics

Privacy, surveillance & cybercrimeSocial issues & culturePolitics & history (other)
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social security numberidentity theftnational idprivacycgp grey

What people said

bmelton · 2017-09 · Strong recommendation

For anyone who wants an explanation at just how bad the social security number really is, this is the most enjoyable explanation for it I've seen, by CGP Grey [VIDEO]

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sagitariusrex · 2017-09 · Strong recommendation

For everybody who isn't acquainted with how Social Security Cards work in the US and how they came to be I highly recommend watching "Social Security Cards Explained" by CGP Grey [VIDEO] He also explains why US citizens don't have an Identity Card as opposed to many European countries.

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quantumfissure · 2024-08 · Recommendation

For non-Americans (and Americans) that don't quite understand what SSN is and why it's a problem, CGP Grey [1] has a great (and short) video about the history and why it's not technically an identifier, but has become one. [1] [VIDEO]

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Sources

Video by CGP Grey, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

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HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

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