Why Blockbuster looks at your ID.

[Perry E. Metzger]

Peter Fairbrother <zenadsl6186 at zen.co.uk> writes:
> Perry E. Metzger wrote:
>> A system in which the credit card was replaced by a small, calculator
>> style token with a smartcard style connector could effectively
>> eliminate most of the in person and over the net fraud we experience,
>> and thus get rid of large costs in the system and get rid of the need
>> for every Tom, Dick and Harry to see your drivers license when you
>> make a purchase. It would both improve personal privacy and help the
>> economy by massively reducing transaction costs.
>
> I agree that it might well reduce costs and fraud - but how will it improve
> privacy? Your name is already on the card ... and the issuer will still have
> a list of your transactions.
>
> Not having to show ID may save annoyance, but it doesn't significantly
> improve privacy.

If you have a sufficiently good token, you may no longer need to have
identification information presented to the merchant, even by the
token, to reduce misuse. It is true that the issuer will still know
what transactions took place. However, you have at least reduced the
number of entities that require proof of your identity and the number
that have logs of your activity.

Perry

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