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Comment by SomeOldThrow | Hacker News Reader

Meanwhile in the US, we still use a 10 digit number for our identification, regardless of who is holding it. I'm not sure which is worse :/

EDIT: phone numbers are 10 digits, SSN is 9.

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I thought we use a passport or drivers license for identification?

Ideally we do! In my experience there are quite a few services that will take the SSN without requesting photo id at all. For instance: cash app.

Yes, but no.

Most folks don't have passports. Children do not have drivers licenses or state ID's. Some places want more than one form of ID and some require a SS#, though you don't always need the card.

The swedish personal number it has about the same use as that, except even more pervasively and you can't get may societal services without one, including picking up parcels from the post, a bank account, a job etc etc.

It also plainly contains your birthday and sex.

So.. Sweden.., it's very convenient when you're in the system and impractical when you are not.

>...it's very convenient when you're in the system and impractical when you are not.

This exists everywhere, though, so Sweden's personnummer isn't exactly unique in this case.

For a small subset of examples, take Norway's fødselsnummer[0] or Iceland's identification numbers[1] or Ireland's PPS number[2].

[0] - https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%B8dselsnummer

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_identification_numbe...

[2] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Public_Service_Number

It's not claimed to be unique

SSNs are 9-digits long.

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