Can't Stop Identity Theft When It's Someone Else's Fault

from the too-bad,-nice-try dept

For years, despite all the stories about the things you should do to prevent identity theft, it's been clear that the real problem is rarely the end user. As CNN is pointing out, both the ChoicePoint and Paris Hilton stories show that the best way to prevent identity theft is to not give you info to anyone else and to hope that no one else gives it out for you. In other words, your info is already out there. If someone wants it, they're going to get it, and it's not going to be through you, but through someone else who has your info and who you think/hope/expect/pray will keep it safe. So how do you stop identity theft or simple privacy violations when you no longer have any control over the info? David Brin's solution is sounding more and more appealing. If the info is already out there, it might as well be set up in a way that at least you know if someone else takes a look at it.

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