Ask HN: Why are phone numbers considered a secure personal identifier?

Post by jedberg » Thu, May 09, 2019, 8:23 AM UTC

ricardobeat wrote: post #5

swombat wrote: post #3

Counterpoint: I’ve had the same number for 20 years. In all that time, I’ve had maybe 5 instances where I needed to get a confirmation number and couldn’t get enough reception. It works well enough, the vast majority of the time, for the vast majority of people. You’re an extreme edge case.

Over 1.4 billion people travelled internationally in 2018. You’re making an assumption based on a single data point, just as you imply the author to be. Do you use PayPal? It’s impossible to even login while you are abroad.

Post by jedberg » Thu, May 09, 2019, 8:30 AM UTC

netsharc wrote: post #12

Nowadays you need to register with photo ID to get a mobile number, it seems like it's an anti-crime as well as anti- (let's say the magic T-word together...) terrorism move to require a phone number. Because if something goes wrong from the authorities' point of view, then they can always subpoena the mobile carrier to get your identity. AFAIK it's even "illegal" to give a SIM card to a 3rd person with updating this…

Post by stingraycharles » Thu, May 09, 2019, 8:41 AM UTC

jedberg wrote: post #9

rubito wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are an immigrant, not an expat.

I suspect you're trying to fight the "white people are expats brown people are immigrants" stereotype, which is noble. But there is a good argument to be made that Americans are unique in the sense that we are still taxed by America when we leave, so we need a word that describes Americans living abroad.

Post by vntok » Thu, May 09, 2019, 8:52 AM UTC

dis-sys wrote: post #10

No - it is not a secure personal identifier (in many countries). According to Australian laws, someone can port your mobile number to his/her sim card by filing an online form, as long as they know your date of birth and account number, that person can take your phone number away in minutes. Nothing need to be done in person, no ID will be asked. In fact, the laws are made to explicitly forbid such checks under the n…

Post by sunir » Thu, May 09, 2019, 9:11 AM UTC

stingraycharles wrote: post #15

jedberg wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect you're trying to fight the "white people are expats brown people are immigrants" stereotype, which is noble. But there is a good argument to be made that Americans are unique in the sense that we are still taxed by America when we leave, so we need a word that describes Americans living abroad.

I didn't realize that Americans were the only people that were called expats?