this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2024
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What’s the reason behind not being allowed to laminate it? Asking as a non American
You aren't allowed to laminate the card, because the card says do not laminate.
Mine is old enough that it doesn't say not to laminate it... I laminated it... lol
Because it’s meant to biodegrade if lost outside so your identity is harder to steal
Normal countries: "there is a picture on the ID to make it harder to use someone else's"
USA: "it's so flimsy no one will use it for fear of it falling apart"
Well it’s not meant for all it’s used for. We’re culturally resistant to government ID cards (aside from driver’s licenses, passports, and social security cards, no this isn’t rational and it’s often from the same group because they fear both government and immigrants) and our social security cards were an early form of government ID. So basically you wind up with one of the only proofs of citizenship besides birth certificates or passports, and the only one that’s free, uniform, and everyone has being a number meant to be used to track your status with the government universal pension program that basically doesn’t exist anymore and very explicitly says not to use the way we constantly and primarily use it.
Is this stupid? Beyond a doubt. But it’s America as a whole being stupid not the social security administration. As far as the social security administration is concerned this is just a pension ID.
I've been asking that as an American my whole life, I don't know if anyone really knows
Everyone knows. You're not supposed to laminate it so if it gets lost it will biodegrade instead of being perfectly preserved for someone to steal your identity with.
Just don't keep it in your wallet in the first place. There's a very limited number of times you should need to have it.
That's United States property and cannot be modified in any way.
The given reason is that you can't see the security features on the card if it's laminated.
In anything related to SSN?
Lol
Well they do tell you to sign it, you know so if it stolen they can have that too, so there is one little modification they want. Also taring from a larger piece of paper might count.
Makes sense, thanks!