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Comment by Periodic | Hacker News Reader

Losing your PIN generator would actually be a lot easier with the government than with companies like Google. Most government already have a branch in every major town (post office or DMV). We already have a pretty simple system for distributing ID cards, including biometric data in the form of photos.

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Agree that in-person identification (driver's license, passport) validated at government offices (department of licensing, post office) would work for most people... Aren't there objections, though, about things like voter registration since they disenfranchise the poor/minorities? I haven't thought it through, but it seems like requiring these forms of ID for verification would disenfranchise the same groups in the same way? Or is this a lesser burden? I assume that driver's license would be the most likely ID to base this on...

Line of questioning is:

    How big is the non-driving population?
    How many of these need/want access to credit, utilities, other public services?
    What is recourse when you don't drive? Seek a state ID card?
    Are there any privacy/other problems with requiring that ID be obtained?

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