Comcast Demands SSN for Cable Service

Letter to City Cable Franchise Administrator:

Today I contacted my local cable monopoly, Comcast, to purchase service. They refused to provide me service without receiving my social security number (SSN). As the local implementing agency of Comcast's federal license, I'm writing to ask that this practice be terminated.

Alternatively, please provide me with the statutory or other authority for requesting the information; whether disclosure is mandatory or voluntary; what uses will be made of the information, as required by the federal Privacy Act. (See Exhibit I below).

Because Comcast is a monopoly, the consequence of my not providing this personal information is exclusion from what has become a basic service; access to information via the local cable system. Given the leverage of their monopoly position, Comcast should not be able to demand my SSN, for which there are limitations on such requests (See Exhibit II, below).

Furthermore, I should not be required to "trust Comcast" with my private information. I do not trust Comcast, or any corporation. I have rational basis for this mistrust, given recent debacles of private information falling into the hands of identity thiefs (Veteran's Administration and ChoicePoint to name two of a growing number of examples).

When the SSN was created, the federal government promised that the number would NOT become a personal ID number. Comcast's rationale for demanding my SSN is that they want to catch people who have not paid past bills and who have moved. Comcast should not be able to demand everyone's personal information simply to eek out a few more dollars from the small number of people who have moved and failed to pay prior bills. This is not a sufficient rationale for demanding my SSN or denying me access to cable service to which they have the privilage of a monopoly franchise.

I appreciate your assistance on this matter.

Sincerely,

me

cc:

US Senators
US Congressional Representative
Baltimore City Council President
Maryland General Assembly representatives
State Attorney General's Office, Consumer Protection Division
State Public Service Commission
Comcast Corporation Headquarters
Social Security Administration, Regulatory Policy
Federal Communications Commissioners: Martin, Copps and Adelstein
Electronic Frontier Foundation

Exhibit I - Statutory or other authority for requesting the SSN information

The Privacy Act regulates the use of SSNs by government agencies. When a Federal, State, or local government agency asks an individual to disclose his or her Social Security number, the Privacy Act requires the agency to inform the person of the following: the statutory or other authority for requesting the information; whether disclosure is mandatory or voluntary; what uses will be made of the information; and the consequences, if any, of failure to provide the information.

Exhibit II - Situations where an SSN might be required

* Internal Revenue Service for tax returns and federal loans
* Employers for wage and tax reporting purposes
* States for the school lunch program
* Banks for monetary transactions
* Veterans Administration as a hospital admission number
* Department of Labor for workers’ compensation
* Department of Education for Student Loans
* States to administer any tax, general public assistance, motor vehicle or drivers license law within its jurisdiction
* States for child support enforcement
* States for commercial driver’s licenses
* States for Food Stamps
* States for Medicaid
* States for Unemployment Compensation
* States for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
* U.S. Treasury for U.S. Savings Bonds