In 1936, the Social Security Administration (SSA) created a numbering system designed to provide a unique identifier, the SSN, to each individual. The agency uses SSNs to track workers’ earnings and eligibility for Social Security benefits, and as of December 1998, SSA had issued 391 million SSNs. Government entities are beginning to make their records electronically available over the Internet. This is particularly true at the state and county level. SSNs Are Widely Used by Program Agencies at All Levels of Government, but Could Be Better Protected by Them

When federal, state, and county government agencies administer programs that deliver services and benefits to the public, they rely extensively on the SSNs of those receiving the benefits and services. In addition, they are particularly useful when agencies share information with others to verify the eligibility of benefit applicants or to collect outstanding debts. However, we found examples of some government entities that are trying innovative approaches to protect the SSNs in such records from public display. This would create new opportunities for gathering SSNs on a broader scale. Traditional Access to Public Records Has Practical Limitations That Would Not Exist if the Records Were Placed on the Internet

Traditionally, the public has been able to gain access to SSNs contained in public records by visiting the recorder’s office, state office, or court house; however, the requirement to visit a physical location and request or search for information on a case-by-case basis offers some measure of protection against the widespread collection and use of others’ SSNs from public records.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Social Security numbers (SSN), originally created in 1936 to track workers' earnings and eligibility for Social Security benefits is now used for many other purposes by both government and private sectors. The growth in electronic record keeping and the availability of information over the Internet, combined with the rise in identity theft, have heightened public concern about how their SSNs are being used. Federal agencies use SSNs to manage records, verify the eligibility of benefit applicants, collect outstanding debts, and do research and program evaluation.

What GAO Found

GAO found that federal laws designed to protect SSNs are not being followed consistently, Moreover, courts at all levels of government and offices at the state and county level maintain records that contain SSNs for the purpose of making these records available to the public. Recognizing that these SSNs may be misused, some government entities have taken steps to protect the SSNs from public display. At the same time, however, some government entities are considering making more public records available on the Intranet. Ease of access to electronically available files could encourage more information gathering from public records on a broader scale than possible previously.