Facebook now requires your Social Security number to buy political ads

money.cnn.com

12 points·codegeek··5 comments

> In addition to a Social Security number, users wishing to buy ads will need to provide a picture of a government-issued ID and a US mailing address. Once Facebook verifies the information submitted, the company will mail a code to the provided address to authorize the user's Facebook account to buy ads.

State actors more than likely...

1. have access to giant databases of Americans' personal info (including SSNs),

2. the ability to forge a genuine-looking fake ID (or photoshop a photo of one), and

3. the ability to conduct a well-timed mail-theft (American mailboxes are notoriously insecure, and they could use USPS Informed Delivery to know exactly when to do it).

I don't think these procedures will be effective against any of the entities that matter.

alternatively, they could just ban political ads.

>the ability to conduct a well-timed mail-theft (American mailboxes are notoriously insecure, and they could use USPS Informed Delivery to know exactly when to do it).

Not even that. The same credentials needed to buy an ad could also buy a PO box for a trivial fee

reminder: this information was provided to the open market by the credit reporting agency hax, dont blame me if you see my social in there

That’s why they are doing a positive challenge as well.

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