Hacker News Reader

Comment by whats_a_quasar | Hacker News Reader

This happens to me at self-checkout at Safeway. I guess I can get somebody to come and check my ID, but seems unnecessary.

View on HN

Not sure if it's everywhere yet, but where I live, QFC and Fred Meyer have started scanning IDs for every alcohol purchase, which is a bit disturbing because that block of data on the back of your ID has a lot more than your birthday on it. I have a passport card that doesn't scan but is still valid ID, but I wonder if there's any legal issue with printing your own barcode that says "mind your own business" or something and sticking it on there.

Nobody will check. As long as their API replies {valid: true}

Yeah, but at least they won't be able to sell a list of your habits to your health insurance company.

Right? Why can't you scan your ID and then be prompted what information to share with the system, like age? I scan my ID, the system asks to retrieve age information, it retrieves it, now I can proceed to scan my alcohol. No human interaction required.

If the person manning the self-checkout operations thinks you look awfully young to be buying alcohol then they can always demand to see your ID.

Simple.

No way to check you're actually the person on the ID this way

Lots of places have mandatory ID checks regardless of appearance.

Stop complying with them. If they won't sell to you, take your business elsewhere and tell them why. If they whine about laws tell them to hire better lobbyists.

Eliminating the discretion of a cashier is not a bad thing. It harms no one and makes their job easier.

It harms me by making me ask permission of strangers to eat and drink what I choose. I don't think telling people to operate as mindless robots makes their job easier.

The permission is granted by your government. Either move to a libertarian paradise where 10 year olds can drink or accept that a merchant will apply measures to protect their liquor license.

Far more harmful is self-checkout without a discount for free labor or treating your customers like criminals when they leave the store with their own property.

I'm saying that regulatory requirements should be less strict, so that retailers are not turned into an extension of the government. Many developed countries establish a minimum age for alcohol purchase but don't build unwieldy infrastructures around it, relying instead on the aggregate judgement of their populace.

You seem to have missed the part where I do not want to ask permission of the government for every little thing. I'm well into middle age and do not appreciate having to seek governmental approval for what I consume. I am fine with some products like alcohol being subjected to taxes to balance out negative externalities. I am not fine with the idea of showing my papers on demand.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com