Aadhaar vs Social Security Number – How Are They Different?

You know India’s Aadhaar is a 12-digit number & the SSN is a 9-digit number. But how else are these two different?

India’s unique identification project is the world’s largest biometrics-based identity project. As of January 2017, over 111 crore Indians have an Aadhaar number, the government had announced.

When it was first launched in 2009, the project claimed it would free India’s faulty public distribution system of pilferage and leakage, among other things. Eight years after the launch, the project has failed to meet expectations. The controversy surrounding the Aadhaar notwithstanding, the concept has been widely compared to the nine-digit Social Security Number (SSN) of the United States. You know the Aadhaar is a 12-digit number, while the SSN is a nine-digit number. You know that the Aadhaar is meant for any resident of the country who has stayed in the country for 182 days, while the SSN is meant for permanent residents of the US. But how else are these two different? Here’s a quick look:

Purpose

Aadhaar is a unique proof of national identity:
The unique biometric authenticator was established as a single proof of identity and address for any resident in India that could be used for authentication.

SSN is a record keeper of services:
The use of SSN numbers began during the Great Depression. Under the Social Security Act, 1935, the SSN number was used to track worker’s earnings and keep a record of social security benefits to be received by them. In certain cases, temporary residents authorised to work in the US by the Department of Homeland Security are also allowed to obtain a Social Security number.

Issuance/Governance

Aadhaar is governed by Aadhaar Act 2016:
Aadhaar was introduced under the Planning Commission during UPA-I in 2009. The Aadhaar Bill was introduced in 2010 but it was rejected by a parliamentary committee over security, and privacy concerns. In March 2016, the NDA government passed the Aadhaar Act as a Money Bill.

SSN is governed by federal legislation:
The Federal and State legislations govern the issuance, collection, and use of the SSN, under the Social Security Act of 1935. The Privacy Act 1974 and various state level legislation supervise the access and sharing of the SSN number collected by agencies and organisations.

Data Collection

Aadhaar project involves collection of biometric data:
Aadhaar collects biometric and demographic data. The process includes a scan of all fingerprints, face and the iris of both eye besides supporting documents that show proof of age, address, birth, and residence.

SSN collects demographic data:
To obtain a SSN, one needs to provide proof of age, identity, and US citizenship. The Social Security Number is printed on a paper card without a photo-identity.

Enrollment Agencies

UIDAI, registrars, and private enrolling agencies regulate Aadhaar enrollments:
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established to issue Aadhaar numbers. Registrars (contracted bodies under the UIDAI) and contracted bodies under the registrars are responsible for receiving and processing enrollments.

Social Security Administration regulates SSN enrollments:
The Social Security Administration is the main body that processes applications and issues SSN numbers.

Use by Public & Private Entities/Organisations

Aadhaar can be used for authentication:
Third-party organisations can send requests for verification to the UIDAI. The Aadhaar number can be adopted by any public or private entity as a sole means of identifying an individual. But under UIDAI and Supreme Court guidelines, submission of Aadhaar is not mandatory.

SSN can be requested by public & private entities:
Public entities can request the SSN to track individuals in a system or as a form of identifying an individual as long as the use does not violate federal or state law. SSN is required in two cases in case of private entities. It is required in case of a transaction with the revenue service or a transaction subject to federal Customer Identification Program rules. Under the Social Security Act, 1936, SSN verification is possible only in certain cases, like the issuance of a replacement SSN, or verification for government agencies, approved pre-registered and private employers after seeking legal permission. An SSN request from a third party can be verified, with the consent of the holder.

Popularity

Aadhaar is becoming ubiquitous:
The government in India has been on a project expansion spree since the first Aadhaar was issued in 2010. Under section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, the government can ask a resident to produce Aadhaar for any “benefit, subsidy or service”. Since then it has tried to link maximum schemes and benefits to Aadhaar. However, the apex court states that anyone cannot be deprived of a government service for not having an Aadhaar number. Aadhaar numbers stored in multiple databases can be linked to the bank records, ration lists, educational records, and telecom documents of individuals.

In August 2017, Supreme Court’s nine-judge bench unanimously ruled that privacy is a fundamental right because it is intrinsic to the right to life. This judgement is bound to impact the government’s Aadhaar push.

SSN use is getting restricted:
Amidst rising privacy concerns, governments have passed several legislations orders since 1996 to contain the use and collection of the number. State bodies have begun deletion of SSN on electronic public records. The SSN numbers collected by federal agencies are stored at the organisational level.

Legal Framework for Protection Against Violation

Aadhaar Act is riddled with confusion:
India is not equipped with a privacy law either at the national or state level. Moreover, the Aadhaar Act is riddled with confusion. Section 8 of the Aadhaar Act requests agencies to take an individual’s consent for collection and sharing of information. However, an individual whose details are collected or shared without his consent cannot invoke the criminal penalty. The Act says such a complaint can only be made by Unique Identification Authority.

Legislations passed for SSN:
In response to the escalating fears over the use of SSN as universal identity cards, the US government passed the Privacy Act of 1974. Further, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 was scrupulous in tightening regulation.

(With inputs from Scroll, Centre for Internet & Governance, Social Security Administration)