Hacker News Reader

Comment by TeMPOraL | Hacker News Reader

They ask for it. They may currently require it. They don't necessarily need it.

E.g. Some medical services may need to know your medical history. Others need just some token that lets the bureaucracy figure out who to ultimately bill for it. Leasing/crediting services - well, they'd love to know everything about you, but that doesn't mean they should get it.

View on HN

No, all these services need my identity in order to offer me services that i want/need (my blood analysis results, bank account including cards/loans/leases, IRS, DMV, etc. Basically everything that is tied to my real identity and should be seen/accessed only by myself). I am not from US so just using IRS/DMV as comparable examples. Third party ID providers or Government ID provider returns only my name and personal UID to all these services.

Most of the examples you listed require only an email address, PO Box, or a telephone number.

Maybe in the USA but i am not from there. All these services require to log in with your real identity at least once and depending on the service you can use it with your set up email address in read only mode, for example the DMV equivalent service allows you to see your vehicles, tickets (and pay them) and other info but in order to change vehicle owner you will have to log in with real identity provider.

I think we're still talking past each other.

My point is: these services may require identity, but they don't truly need it, could work without it, and it's only a bad design that they do ask for it.

I do agree that i could use anything (email, phone etc.) to login in those services but this "something" would be still mapped/tied to my real identity (in a previously validated way). So if it is the first time i am using DMV online service, i can login using my real identity because that is much easier than going to real world location and getting my account credentials.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com