So I’m reading an article in the Rocky Mountain News about the problem with mail-in balloting. One of the things that Colorado requires as “proof” of identity in such things is the birthdate.
The article mentions a site, anybirthday.com, which you can use to look up peoples’ birthdays.
Ha ha ha, I say. Here, at least, I, the not-very-private guy, am safe. Because whenever some dopey web site asks for my birthdate for demographic or proof-of-identity purpose, I always give it plus-or-minus one day. Or one year.
Look me up. Bam. There I am. Correct date.
Margie, too.
And Rey.
Not Jackie or Doyce — but there’s a ZIP code field, and I don’t have their old ZIP code. I’ll betcha …
Randy doesn’t show … but Randal does.
Neither set of parents shows, nor does my grandmother — but my grandfather, who’s been dead for some time, does indeed show.
‘Taint funny, folks. Because, as with the State of Colorado, there are places that actually use this (bad) piece of info as a proof of identity.
According to the site FAQ, the information comes from “Public Records.” There is an opt-out option, which allows you to have your data purged (and flagged to not be re-entered).
Ordinarily I don’t mind. But for stuff that is being used by some locations as proof of identity … then I do mind.