Orwellian freak out!!!

[Hypoid]

I returned some merchandise to Best Buy this past week. The girl at the counter asked for my ID, then swiped it through the card reader built into the store's keyboard.

I was more than a little upset over the concept of a retailer recording and retaining the information stored on my State issue ID. Now that I've had a chance to calm down, I still wonder:
What information is stored on that magnetic strip?
What laws govern a retailer's use of that information?
Would there be any legal consequence, from that strip passing through a strong magnetic field?

This is the kind of thing that will affect my shopping preferences...

 

[Frank Z]

Use a barcode reader (smartphone app) on your DL.....

 

[SolarBell]

I use to work for a place that had a customer who wanted to use that mag stripe data. It's nothing more than what is printed on the front. Nothing super secret. But I'm still very not thrilled to have a company potentially record my DL number, legal name, and birthdate.

 

[Frank Z]

When you write a check you have to provide that info...

When you use a credit card you are providing the same....


You guys are

Get it?

 

[xj-grin]

noids?

 

[Frank Z]

Yes, but how many........

 

[xj-grin]

dos?

 

[Frank Z]

and two of anything is a _________ .

 

[xj-grin]

:doh:

 

[Frank Z]

 

[Hypoid]

You a funny kid, Frank!

Long, long ago, I worked in marketing: Market research recruiter/interviewer. Direct sales including, merchandise, advertising, and services. I even had a license to sell insurance in the State of Colorado. I trust corporations, less than you trust government!

If you want my Driver's license info from the state of Colorado, you need to fill out this form: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1191399135501&ssbinary=true That information is not so public after all. If I hand over my ID to anyone who asks, I feel there is an element of implied consent.

If I whip out my bank card, I have legal protection governing the use and storage of that data. If I surrender my ID, what do I have?

It is reassuring to know there is no other information encoded on the back of my ID. If I had a smart phone, I wouldn't be asking the question.

Enough for now! I'm gonna take the battery out of my cell phone, put on my tin-foil hat, and crawl back into my cave.

 

[Beezle]

Just a thought: what if said ID holder chose to have their Social Security number printed on their ID? Does that mean that the Best Buy employee that has "Super Technology Geek Powers" has a good chance of stealing my identity easier than the common retailer that doesn't swipe my identification?

And yes I am a "Noid"....

 

[SolarBell]

I work in information security. I'm paid to be paranoid.

 

[Ecomike]

I do most of my buying online these days, and I have never once been asked my ID, DL # or SS# to buy online. I never use a debit card, forgot what checks look like, and I always pay with CC. I remember when Block buster 15-20 years ago wanted the SS # and CC# to set up a rental account. I told them to go suck an egg on the SS# request, but they insisted. IIRC I gave them a fake SS#, if I gave them anything, LOL. The local grocery store has started insisting on picture IDs to buy groceries at the check out with a CC. Online they never ask for that stuff. Easier to buy online from overseas, like China or in the US online than it is from the local retail store.

 

[Digger87xj]

You need not surrender your license to a counter jockey. The only people who touch my license are the cops or employer. I will show it to anyone, never hand it over.