What's in a sin?, diSINination or whats in a SIN? Options

[Nasrudith]

What information is contained in a SIN? Can you search a SIN and find out what metatype they are from it? Is there a picture in there that makes it just plain obvious unless they have human looking, or an elf or orc poser qualities? Is there a field that lists height and weight or something that makes it pretty obvious that one is a troll, dwarf, or maybe even a free spirit or dragon?

[FriendoftheDork]

A sin is a number based on date of birth etc. It is linked to archived information in certain databases that identifies DNA, picture, fingerprint, names etc.

Anyone with a SIN will probably be exposed as a "poser" by the authorities.

[laughingowl]

A SIN is an ID.

Now how in depth it entails depends on how thoughly it is being scanned.

A normal stuffer shack, hits the ID and probably gets a simple face/body recognition if that.

Go to a major outlet and order 10,000 nuyen worth of stuff and they likely request a fingerprint verification.


If we go by previous verisions>

simple passcode / possibly visual.
Fingerprint
Retinal scan
DNA matching

Are all used to verify identity.

The profile would certainly have a race / age / etc, though it would very on who could 'legally' access this.


A simple (non-authority, non-high nuyen amount) could probably get the same information as your current drivers liscense: (name, registered address, hieght, weight, age, picture).

The Authorities (or people willing to pretend) can pull up pretty much any information that was 'done' under that ID. DNA profile, criminal record, travel records, medical records, etc.

[Aaron]

Heck, I imagine there are databases in the Unwired World that don't even have names, just SINs.

[Thane36425]

I always handled it like the SIN was a super Social Security Number that linked to all of one's accounts and files. After all, it is the System Identification Number. As for the number itself, I had it be the date of birth (dd/mm/yyyy), 4 digit nation code (based on country of birth or adopted nation if you got a new SIN there) along with a random 6 digit number. That's 18 bits altogether allowing for a great deal of randomness.

The basic ID portion of the number was something like you would see on a driver's license: Name, Age, Metatype, Place of Birth, Corp affiliation (if any), and would be flagged with any wants and warrants, fugitive warnings, bad crecit alerts, etc., that existed. It also contains all legal licenses and permits for things like driving and weapon permits. Anything else would be as follows.

This one number would link to every financial account, education and employment file, criminal record, etc. that has that number in it. So, you find out a SIN, you can find out just about everything about that person, unless it is offline or behind some serious security, sort of like you can do with and SSN now.

[kzt]

The SIN is a number that is an index to databases that contain information about a person. Without access to the back-end databases it tells you nothing.

As conceived it's essentially a super SSN, but the continuing issues with abuse and fraud linked to SSNs has resulted in the increasing lockdown on release/use of SSNs, which suggests that this is not a valid model.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

[hobgoblin]

[TBRMInsanity]

Social Insurance Number (SIN):
It is a record of personal data like:
Date of Birth
Blood Type
Metatype (human, elf, dwarf, ...)
Physical conditions (diabetic, alergies, ...)
Work history (the stuff that is legit)
Criminal record (usually blank unless your a SR)
Education level (Pre-school, High School, University, etc)
Financial record (credit level, IRS data, bank accounts, ...)
NOK (ie family tree)
Registered addresses (again usually all addresses unless your a SR)
And other database information associated to you.

This is why a stolen SIN is a death sentence to someone. They have everything about you and could quite literally replace you. Most SIN information will require DNA verification from a live source to grant access to the information. It is also key to point out the while your financial record is attached to your SIN, you still need a credstick to get the money in the financial record.

[FriendoftheDork]

[kzt]

[Fastball]

The SIN number itself is a complex formula which will identify (SR4 p. 259):

(1) birthdate, state or county of issuance (usually birthplace), citizenship, and your intials. This information is available to anybody with access to the formulas of creating system. While the book specifically identifies law enforcement. I suspect any business can access this information. Otherwise, a bar would never be able to refuse drinks to a person under the drinking age limit.

A criminal SIN is cross-indexed in the database of legal authorities with additional information, including: (1) photographs; (2) thumb, finger, palm, and retinal prints; and (3) DNA records. This information, would not be available to the general public, but may be available in individual databases.

The section on Commlinks, Credsticks, and ID further suggests there is NO additional personal identifiable information on, including your name.

The problem with a SIN isn't in the identifying information, it's in the data trail. A detailed verification could find information such as (1) anything in paragraph #2 above, (2) any outstanding warrants or judgment liens, (3) properties or stocked owned, (4) travel records, (5) employment history. In short, the SIN doesn't generally reveal who you are, but it does reveal where you've been and what you do.

Individual databases may include additional information that is only accessible by the company maintaining the record. Here's an example:

Corporate big-wig wants to impress a girl he just met, so he invites her out to dinner that evening. Without a reservation, he walks into his favorite restaurant, broadcasting his SIN. The maitre d' is actively scanning broadcast signals and cross-referencing the restaurant's database. Before Mr. Corporate can ask for a table for two, the maitre d' addresses him, "Good evening, Mr. Corporate, we're pleased to have you with us this evening. I've just had your regular table prepared. Shall I have a bottle of your favorite red sent to the table, or would you prefer the chardonnay?"

[Fezig]

I've always looked at SiNs information wise being like the VIN number on a car. With the proper set of tools at their disposal a person could find out just about anything ever legally attached to a person including but not limited to Descriptions, photos, criminal record, bank accounts, credit report, major assets(businesses, cars, homes, etc), outstanding lawsuits, insurance information.

[Catharz Godfoot]

It stands for System Identification Number, right? Not something about socual insurace?