Security Questions ( conspiracy )

submitted by Kwijibo

What is your mother's maiden name?

What street did you grow up on?

What is the make of your first car?

Etc...etc... etc...

Are these just questions to verify your identity or are your answers being feed into a data base to be matched with other know information about you in order to build a data model about you?

oftotc

Are these just questions to verify your identity or are your answers being feed into a data base to be matched with other know information about you in order to build a data model about you?

None of those questions require your assistance to collect for a data file about you. Most likely they're just a form of identification for online activities with the organization asking them.

Non-automated online collection is usually more subtle, like askVoat questions etc.

Kwijibo

yeah, but this could be the verifiable info that links all the other info together.

oftotc

If someone wanted any of that information, they would not have to ask you for it. However, if some online source is asking these questions as part of an "anonymous" account setup, then yes, your concerns are valid. Otherwise, connecting these data points, if your real identity is known to the institution asking for them, is not a threat to your privacy.