https://qz.com/1093213/why-do-we-still-use-social-security-numbers-to-prove-our-identities/

If you’re an American, your Social Security number has probably been compromised. Even if it remained secure through years of massive data breaches, it’s quite possible it was included in the Equifax breach last month that affected some 143 million—er, make that 145.5 million— Americans.

At a moment when those nine-digit numbers seem less secure than ever, it makes sense to contemplate the alternatives. Why, after more than a decade of massive data breaches, are we still relying on Social Security numbers to prove our identities?