Re: Social Security Numbers & Microsoft Exams

[Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>]

At 03:45 AM 12/27/98 +0000, Simon Cooke wrote:
 
>> According to the page at <http://www.microsoft.com/mcp/certstep/examreg.htm>
>> Microsoft requires anyone who registers to take its "certification" exams to
>> provide a social security number and "demographic" (i.e. personal)
>> information. Opting out of the "demographic" survey is not allowed. Given
>> this initial information, Microsoft could then find out anything else it
>> wanted to know about the candidate. Hmmmm. 
>> 
>I wonder why?
> 
>Perhaps it's to ensure that you are who you say you are when you take the
>test, in order to prevent fraud?
> 
>Let's see:
>Driving Test: you have to provide your social security number.

Not so. The "recommendation" that social security numbers be placed on
drivers' licenses -- and it's only a recommendation -- has been roundly
rejected by many states for privacy reasons.

>Department of Education Teaching License: you have to provide your social
>security number

Again, varies by state.

>A+ Certification (http://www.narrows.com/~jnelson/a.htm) - you have to
>provide your social security number*

In that case, one would be foolish to provide it. If the company insisted,
you'd be foolish to take the exam.

>Now, let's see who does Microsoft's exams - golly! It just do happens to be
>SYLVAN PROMETRIC. So what do we end up with? Exams that are pretty much
>guaranteed to have been taken by the person who claims to have taken them.

Oh, I see: furnishing a Social Security number is a guarantee that you
really are the person associated with that number?

I'll have to remember to have a ringer go take the test for me. All he'll
need to do is present my Social Security number.

>As for the demographic survey - have you taken many exams recently? 

Not for vendor certifications, as I see them as a form of lock-in and
therefore worthless.

>Back home in the UK, I took a driving test theory exam. Beforehand there was
>a short, 15 minute vocabulary test, with demographic information being taken
>into account.

In other words, you can get a Cockney driver's test? ;-)

--Brett