So - for reasons beyond our collective understanding? - silly demands are yet again made on people who want to use the Internet?
I wish it were as simple as to ask for a rationale or justification. Although that is a very good place to start. But some of this is so embedded in certain a cultures it can be impossible to fight for most individuals. So you need allies. It might be worthwhile exploring how we could collectively do something there. My own thing was when I looked at registering a domain name under dotSE. As an individual you have to give them a copy of your government-issued "personal identification number”. But if you are not Swedish then any old government-related number would appear to do. Does not matter which government. Does not matter if it a personal identity number. Does not matter if they can check it or not - probably they cannot. I have no idea why they need this. But somehow they really-really need a little number for that field. Duh! Gordon PS At EuroDIG we had to show our passports (after the security check) to pick up our badge and t-shirt. > On 22 Jun 2016, at 12:57, Bengt Gördén <[email protected]> wrote: > > Den 2016-06-22 kl. 12:41, skrev Jim Reid: >>> On 22 Jun 2016, at 11:31, Johan Helsingius <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Here in Italy, for reasons beyond my understanding, you are bound to get >>>> a residential connection unless you have a VAT number. I really cannot >>>> understand the rationale for that, and it looks to me as a gratuitous >>>> limitation of individual freedom. >>> Have you asked your provider(s) for a rationale or justification? >> Julf, when RIPE meeting was in Rome 4-5 years ago, we had to provide copies >> of our passports to use some city-wide free wi-fi service. I think this was >> because of Italian law, possibly to help the cops keep track of who was >> using which IP address. >> >> > > I traveled to Tuscany a few times and we always buy prepayed mobil > internet. I always have to show my passport to buy that. The same in > Spain last 3 times I've been there. > > > /bengan > > >
