A computer a the veterinary school at U.C. Davis was hacked into and personal information for about 1500 students apparently was accessed.

The report goes on to state that the personal information stored on the computer system included names, birth dates and social security numbers. And this is the part that starts to get me more than a little annoyed.

Why in the world would a college require a student’s social security number? As far as I know, social security numbers are required when you get a new job or open a bank account. The reason is obvious. It’s for tax purposes so your employer can make sure the feds know about the money you are earning and make sure you are paying your income extortion, er, I mean income taxes.

As far as I know, not many students have enrolled in college expecting to collect a paycheck or even interest on a savings account.

The social security number has become an ID number seemingly by default and is being used far too often by businesses and organizations who have no legitimate reason to know what a customer’s or student’s social security number is.

A few years ago I began to protest when people started asking for my social security number and asked them to tell me why they needed it. In the majority of cases they certainly did not need it. I even recall a dentist’s office once asking me for my social security number! I’d be the first person to line up outside the office of the dentist who is handing out checks to patients, but we all know that’s not going to happen.

Fortunately, many more people are aware of the risk they face when giving their social security number to everyone who asks for it. It’s also good that some businesses and government agencies are offering alternatives to the use of social security numbers.

Clearly, more organizations need to follow suit and stop demanding social security numbers. When nitwits like the ones running the computer systems out at the veterinary school at U.C. Davis get hold of information like that, you never know what might happen to it.

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