If this is true, I wouldn't have left. Naturally the manager's claim
is utter BS. It would have been fun to call his bluff and let the
police come. There's a minor issue of 1st Amendment, and then half a
dozen criminal and civil cases if the police a dumb enough to take the
manager's side. Even with the store theoretically being "private
property" that fact that it's open to the public pretty much trumps
that argument. And them there's the PR value of calling a press
conference in front of the store to utter ridicule the manager and
corporate HQ. Don't be a wimp next time.
Not to mention the fact that technically, they can't legally ask you for
your social security number. But the don't have to sell the product to
you if you don't want to provide it apparently.
from the SSA website:
<
http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/>
and click on the Questions about your Social Security number & card link.
When do I have to provide my Social Security number?
Question
Must I provide a Social Security number (SSN) to any business or
government agency that asks?
Answer
The Social Security number (SSN) was originally devised to keep an
accurate record of each individuals earnings, and to subsequently
monitor benefits paid under the Social Security program. However, use
of the SSN as a general identifier has grown to the point where it is
the most commonly used and convenient identifier for all types of
record-keeping systems in the United States.
Specific laws require a person to provide his/her SSN for certain
purposes. While we cannot give you a comprehensive list of all
situations where an SSN might be required or requested, an SSN is
required/requested by:
Internal Revenue Service for tax returns and federal loans
Employers for wage and tax reporting purposes
States for the school lunch program
Banks for monetary transactions
Veterans Administration as a hospital admission number
Department of Labor for workers compensation
Department of Education for Student Loans
States to administer any tax, general public assistance, motor vehicle
or drivers license law within its jurisdiction
States for child support enforcement
States for commercial drivers licenses
States for Food Stamps
States for Medicaid
States for Unemployment Compensation
States for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
U.S. Treasury for U.S. Savings Bonds
The Privacy Act regulates the use of SSNs by government agencies. When a
Federal, State, or local government agency asks an individual to
disclose his or her Social Security number, the Privacy Act requires the
agency to inform the person of the following: the statutory or other
authority for requesting the information; whether disclosure is
mandatory or voluntary; what uses will be made of the information; and
the consequences, if any, of failure to provide the information.
If a business or other enterprise asks you for your SSN, you can refuse
to give it. However, that may mean doing without the purchase or
service for which your number was requested. For example, utility
companies and other services ask for a Social Security number, but do
not need it; they can do a credit check or identify the person in their
records by alternative means. Giving your number is voluntary, even when
you are asked for the number directly. If requested, you should ask why
your number is needed, how your number will be used, what law requires
you to give your number and what the consequences are if you refuse. The
answers to these questions can help you decide if you want to give your
Social Security number. The decision is yours.
For more detailed information, we recommend the publication at
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10002.html
Greg B.