Re: Want to be an MS-certified "engineer?" Your Social Security number, please

[Mitch Stone <mstone@vc.net>]

--- From a message sent by Brett Glass on 12/26/98 4:41 PM ---

>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.

If I remember correctly, it is a violation of Federal law to require 
anyone to provide an SSI for purposes not connected to the payment of 
income taxes. Can anyone verify? As for the "demographic" information, I 
don't see why anyone would voluntarily disclose personal information to 
someone who is neither friend, a family member, or their doctor or 
lawyer. I suggest filling in as few of these blanks as possible, and 
allowing your imagination to run wild on the rest. Many of these 
companies know me as Mahatma Kane Jeeves.

Mitch Stone
mstone@vc.net