Why Google Wants Your Kid's SSN

Jamie found a somewhat creepy story about a kid's art contest run by Google. As part of the entry, they need the last 4 digits of a social security number. The article suggests that the information requested by the contest should make it possible to guess at, and compile a list of children's social security numbers. It's bizarre and worth your read.

TL;DR Version

[The MAZZTer]

Google's already removed the field from a newer version of the entry form. will not store any collected numbers, and has explained the need for the city of birth (to help prove US citizenship as required by the contest).

Well duh

[ElectricTurtle]

Without even reading the article I know why. SSNs contain demographic data about where and when somebody is born. They are not serial numbers or randomly generated. Anybody with access to the first half of the SSN has demographic data.

Re:TL;DR Version

[Renderer of Evil]

Except that neither city of birth nor SSN are indicators of citizenship / residency.

This reminds me of the wifi data gathering operation where they amassed all this information "by mistake."

Re:Kids shouldnt even have SSI numbers

[olsmeister]

They need to have SSN numbers as children so that they may be claimed as tax deductions by their parents.

Re:Kids shouldnt even have SSI numbers

[cranky_chemist]

The IRS takes different view.

Kids have SSN numbers to prevent unscrupulous parents from conjuring dependents out of thin air for the tax breaks. It also stops more than one person from claiming the same child as a dependent.

If not a SSN, the IRS would still have to issue every child a unique identifier. Why reinvent the wheel?

Statistical Significance

[Nailer235]

This Ars Technica article (linked below) is a good summary on how the first five numbers can be determined. Apparently for persons born after 1988 (note that here we are dealing with a children's art contest, so this will likely be the case), the number can be accurately guessed 44% of the time if you know the date/place of birth. The odds vary by region - some states the first five digits can be guessed 90% of the time. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/07/social-insecurity-numbers-open-to-hacking.ars [arstechnica.com]

Do Not Read TFA - Huffington Post

[killfixx]

The Huffington Post does not pay the authors of their stories. They are owned by Arianna Huffington, [wikipedia.org] new owner of AOL.

Evil...

Done...

Re:Kids shouldnt even have SSI numbers

[corbettw]

Same with my parents...in the 70s and 80s. But guess what? I need my kids' SSNs to claim them as dependents now, starting in the late 90s. So your premise that laws never change is flawed, therefore your conclusion that olsmeister's claim is false is flat-out wrong.

Re:TL;DR Version

[phunster]

You are wrong, the 14th amendment grants citizenship to those born in the U.S. From the Wikipedia article:

In the case of United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898), the Supreme Court ruled that a person becomes a citizen of the United States at the time of birth, by virtue of the first clause of the 14th Amendment, if that person is:

        * Born in the United States
        * Has parents that are subjects of a foreign power, but not in any diplomatic or official capacity of that foreign power
        * Has parents that have permanent domicile and residence in the United States
        * Has parents that are in the United States for business

The Supreme Court has never explicitly ruled on whether children born in the United States to illegal immigrant parents are entitled to birthright citizenship via the 14th Amendment,[5] although it has generally been assumed that they are.[6] A birth certificate (a.k.a Certificate of Live Birth for children born in certain states) issued by a U.S. state or territorial government is evidence of citizenship, and is usually accepted as proof of citizenship.

Re:TL;DR Version

[Sciros]

Actually, the guy you replied to isn't wrong. City of birth isn't necessarily an indicator of citizenship. My city of birth is Leningrad, USSR (now St Petersburg, Russia). I am a US citizen. Dun dun duuuunnnnn!

Want

[Andy Smith]

"As part of the entry, they need the last 4 digits of a social security number"

Want, not need.

Re:TL;DR Version

[digitig]

He's not wrong. Maybe the 14th amendment grants eligibility for citizenship to anybody born in the USA, but that doesn't mean that they necessarily are citizens. They might never take up that citizenship (eg, born to a visiting mother and brought up with her native citizenship) or might give it up when becoming a citizen of another country, especially of one that doesn't permit dual nationality. Place of birth is not a guarantee of citizenship.