Computerworld has a story about Broward County, FL posting thousands of social security numbers and other personal data on-line, in compliance with state law. Personally I think it is a good idea that public records be available online.

What is a bad idea is making identity fraud easy, which is exactly what HR 3997, the Financial Data Protection Act of 2005, does. This bill does not allow credit freezes until you have already been a victim of credit fraud. How brain dead is that? Credit freezes are the single best tool against identity theft and Congress, at the behest of the banking industry, wants to outlaw them.

Please, write your Congressman and tell them in no uncertain terms that HR 3997 is unacceptable. America’s businesses are being saddled with billions of dollars in costs to protect against credit fraud when choking off the opportunity through credit freezes would be much cheaper and more effective.