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Comment by 0x457 | Hacker News Reader

> If you're (e.g.) buying alcohol, then the "specific information" would be your birthday, and that is all that would be sent over.

Unless there is a very tight control over this - lol nope. Big stores will request as much as they can to target you with ads.

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You could then decide not to buy the alcohol. Unless you are severely addicted, you will not die if you don't purchase alcohol.

Yes, but the point is that we already know (app permissions, cookie tracking consents) that "ask only what you need to function" isn't how sellers operate.

Also, you need an ID to buy some OTC medicine and to pick up some prescribed medicine. As well some other cases when ID needs to be presented, but those probably require more than just DOB anyway.

The irony is that most of the ID-to-buy-medicine rules people cite were created by the same GOP lawmakers who push voter ID. The Sudafed restrictions came from the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, introduced by a Republican sponsor and signed by a Republican president. If you are worried about creeping ID requirements, look at who actually writes these laws.

Again, citing the UK here, if you go to your doctor and get a prescription, all you need to pick it up is your name + address (said verbally over the counter) - no ID needed. I do not have statistics for the false pickup rates but I very much doubt it is anything to worry about.

In the US lots of prescriptions work the same. But some prescriptions and some over the counter (OTC) medicine requires presenting a legal ID to purchase because of a variety of laws.

Blood pressure prescriptions, no ID lots of times. OTC meds which are ingredients to make meth, need an ID.

> all you need to pick it up is your name + address (said verbally over the counter) - no ID needed.

Does it include controlled substances? Sure, I can pick up ibuprofen 800mg with just my name and DOB said verbally, but whatever is on schedule II (US term, but think Adderall) I required to show my ID.

Following the same reasoning, one could decide not to open any website, their TV, their phone and even their fridge. None of these will kill you

While should companies tracking us to make more money affect our habits?

If anything, digitalisation will make it easier.

Currently if you hand your id, the cashier could theoretically take a photo of it but it's an extra (and awkward) step, and then someone would have to figure out how to extract the data and make it usable.

> Unless there is a very tight control over this - lol nope. Big stores will request as much as they can to target you with ads.

And you will now be informed about what is being asked for, as opposed to the current situation where if you are handing over your physical ID you may have no way of knowing what is being gleaned from it.

And being informed, you can choose to accept or decline. You can also question the need for it (the cashier won't be of much help, but inquiries can be done to head office).

So assuming your goal is to buy something that requires you to show an ID (don't move the goalpost with "you can just not buy it"), my options will be:

1) show a digital ID where I can see that they are asking for much more

2) show my physical ID where they can see much more, they need

I mean, I'd pick #1 because at least it will be used just for marketing and not noting my address as I buy a lot of travel supplies.

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