Opinion | Why we need a blockchain-based Social Security number

There are a number of failed old technologies which we live with every day. Some are jokes (such as the story that train tracks are based on Roman war chariots), but some are real,like the fact that social security numbers (SSN) were created in 1936 exclusively track of earnings. Since 1936, Social Security numbers have been adapted to be a unique identifier for each person in the U.S. This number is used to open bank accounts, track credit history, apply for employment, apply for security clearances, etc. The number is often issued at significant moments for an applicant—around birth or entry into the United States, for instance—and usually never changes…