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« Future of Language | Main | My famous friend,... »
Wednesday May 11, 2005
Murphy's Law of Identity
Here is my take on at least one version of Murphy's Law of Identity: Regardless of the cost related to potential identity theft, people will give up their password for a candy bar.

Now, how many of the passwords provided are real is another story, but based on what Nico Popp from Verisign shared during his keynote yesterday morning here at Digital ID World, it might be higher than you think. Nico told us that people freely gave their passwords when offered a $10 Starbucks card. Supposedly one guy, clearly too honest for his own good, said he forgot his password, went back to his office, got his password off some sticky note, gave it to his secretary and told her to go get him a Starbucks card. Incredible. Did he say they're doing it again today at the main entrance to the Hyatt Regency? :-)

What's your take?
Posted at 08:59AM May 11, 2005 by Don Bowen in Identity  |  Comments[2]

Comments:

What's the *real* story here?? Personally, I'd gladly give up any of my passwords for a $10 Starbucks card. After all, there's no loss involved on my part since I can trivially change my password. After all, how will you determine whether I'm giving you my true password, let alone which of my many online accounts it goes with? The whole story seems more of a goofy "urban myth", or simply a cute "promotional myth" invented by some marketing "professionals". -- Jack Krupansky

Posted by Jack Krupansky on May 11, 2005 at 12:30 PM CDT #

Wouldn't give up my password for $10 but would consider it for one of those cool OpenSolaris Shirts and a committment from you that Sun will consider creating a "referenece architecture" around identity enabling applications...

Posted by James on December 11, 2005 at 08:27 AM CST #

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