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Western Carolinian Volume 65 (66) Number 05

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  • September 20, 2000 NEWS Your SSN: Right to Know or Right to Privacy? by Johnnie Mickel Staff Writer Your pocket right now contains your entire existence. We all carry around our CatCards, driver licenses, and other forms of identification. What would happen if you lost that information? In a perfect world it would be returned to you, no harm done. However, in this day of cross-referenced databases and Internet searches your personal information is worth more than you are. One of the key forms of identification in the United States is the government issued Social Security number. This number is used to apply for financial aid, open bank accounts, even to become a member of the local video store. The Social Security number was, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, originally created to number personal accounts for Social Security, tax collection, and benefits payment. But today the SSN has become a too-common identifier. So what does all of this mean to the average Westernite? Everything. Colleges across the country use their students' Social Security numbers as personal identification numbers, and WCU is no different. According to Dr. Kenneth Foshee of the Registrar's Office, "(WCU's) system is tied together by that one number, (it would be) a tremendous effort to get away of choice in the last five years thanks to the proliferation of the Internet and information databases. Lexus-Nexis, one of the biggest databases on the Internet, has made it possible to find someone's two most recent addresses, maiden names, aliases, and even social security numbers. After a WCU-331-0069 John>W. Bardo from using it." WCU bases CatCard numbers on student SSNs and there is the chance that someone could use your CatCard for more than ordering pizzas. If you were to lose your CatCard, there is a chance that someone could use your information against you. Identity theft has become the crime huge outcry they discontinued the service. Do students feel as though there is a problem with using social security numbers as identification? "Social Security Numbers are so prevalent, it's hardly a confidential number," said Joan Petit, a graduate student at WCU. "Using it as our student ID isn't a big deal. There are a lot of privacy issues, but I'm more worried about someone checking out library books on my CatCard than stealing my identity." "There are no privacy concerns, anyone can get my social security number," said Josh Dockery, a freshman. For those of you that are concerned about Western's use of social security numbers as identification then you can have it changed by going to the registrar's office. However, if you change your identification number then you will be denied eligibility for financial aid. This is due to federal regulations that make it mandatory for schools to report financial aid recipients' social security numbers. The best way to protect yourself is to keep all of your personal data as secret as possible, keep it off the Internet, and don't give it out except to people you trust. Also keep up with your personal files, such as Social Security cards, credit card reports, driver license numbers and so on. Keeping tabs on these documents will make it much easier to track if your identity should be stolen. "We are very diligent in keeping those numbers private, but again they've got to be used. Chapel Hill has stopped using them (as ID numbers) but we'd have to use the same program on a fraction of their resources," Foshee said. 579 West Palmer Street Franklin, NC 28734 828-349-9541 Unlimited Access - $18.95 50 Hours Access - $14.95 20 Hours Access - $9.95 no busy signals info$x>5m net.net -w» Mi ©»#« U|* t*h» www r« Yo«f • tech support COMPUTER SALE Web Site Design Internet Training Business Solutions E-Commerce Co-location vkrww.smnet.net Philobyte Technology 'We do computers your way, not their way!* Free Consultation PC/Macintosh Repair Build/Upgrade For Less Software/Hardware Installation Telephone: (c32<3) 293-5013 Jack Hoyle Shawn Ewing Jennifer Mai pert Email: philobyte78Photmail.com
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).