Adult Registration - DOB Mandatory?

[evillama]

I am setting up two new parents as Tiger Adults and they are hesitant to give up their birth dates due to privacy concerns.

 

While I can relate with their trepidation, is it mandatory for the BSA to have this exact information, and is it publicized anywhere I can show them why?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[Basementdweller]

Last time I had a parent fill out an application and have concern about information, The DE contacted the COR and let them know that the application was not approved.

[King Ding Dong]

I can see two reasons that information is required. 1. Background check 2. Know if you are 18 or 21 (I would hope you are 21 with a six year old). The only place I know BSA makes your DOB available is to the unit "key 3" on the new myscouting.org site and on the charter documents. I don't believe it is publicized. They unit may keep this information in advancement tracking software (we don't). It is also required on the medical forms or any overnight. Are you registering them as leaders ? The ScoutParent program has been discontinued. While I also understand their trepidation, Scouting is not for everyone. I wouldn't let an adult in my unit that would not disclose this very basic information.

[perdidochas]

It's common sense. You can't get an accurate background check without a DOB. From what I know, the minimum info needed to get a background check is name, date of birth, and social security number.

[frankpalazzi]

They don't want to give their DOBs???? Why? Are they afraid that someone might send them a birthday card? I'd be curious as to what else they might be "hiding". Something doesn't gel here.

[King Ding Dong]

They don't want to give their DOBs???? Why? Are they afraid that someone might send them a birthday card? I'd be curious as to what else they might be "hiding". Something doesn't gel here.

Like the Air Force servicemen that would not provide their checking account number for a house rental application. Every check the man has ever written has it printed on it.

 

A google search will give your age at minimum. They are hiding something. You can't win them all.

[walk in the woods]

It goes into a computer system to which they have no control nor guarantee of reasonable safeguards. We all make decisions with our personal information based on our priorities. Can you assure them nothing bad will happen, nope. Can you tell them it's required to be a leader, yep. Can they decide not to be a leader based on that requirement, yep. As a guy who has been victimized by CC fraud and identity theft I can't say as I blame them.

[frankpalazzi]

It goes into a computer system to which they have no control nor guarantee of reasonable safeguards. We all make decisions with our personal information based on our priorities. Can you assure them nothing bad will happen, nope. Can you tell them it's required to be a leader, yep. Can they decide not to be a leader based on that requirement, yep. As a guy who has been victimized by CC fraud and identity theft I can't say as I blame them.

I'd be more hesitant in that case to give my SSN....but why DOB?

[walk in the woods]

It goes into a computer system to which they have no control nor guarantee of reasonable safeguards. We all make decisions with our personal information based on our priorities. Can you assure them nothing bad will happen, nope. Can you tell them it's required to be a leader, yep. Can they decide not to be a leader based on that requirement, yep. As a guy who has been victimized by CC fraud and identity theft I can't say as I blame them.

My personal belief is the more information that can be gathered in one place the easier it becomes for the bad guys. I'm probably not as picky as I should be but I have refused to take part in stuff outside scouting because they wanted all that same information without offering any assurances to its protection.

[berliner]

It goes into a computer system to which they have no control nor guarantee of reasonable safeguards. We all make decisions with our personal information based on our priorities. Can you assure them nothing bad will happen, nope. Can you tell them it's required to be a leader, yep. Can they decide not to be a leader based on that requirement, yep. As a guy who has been victimized by CC fraud and identity theft I can't say as I blame them.

I had CC/IT as well but we are talking about a Youth Organization here ... Youth Protection - heard of it?

I think giving name & D.O.B. for a background check is a real no-brainer.

BSA doesnt keep your CC info, the scout shop actually black it out on the receits.

And whoever wants to hide that basic info shouldnt be a volunteer with kids.

[T2Eagle]

These are Tiger Adults not actual registered leaders we're talking about. They are just filling out the parent section of the Youth Application. I just looked at it and it doesn't ask for a SS number. I'm pretty sure that they don't run background checks on Tiger adults and they don't require they take YPT. So it's as likely that the information is there as much because it's always been there as that there is an actual reason for it. I would just send in the application without the date of birth, you can ask a DE or SE why they need that information, and they'll probably give you a reason but it won't be the real reason because they don't know. Another possibility is to have them put in a generic DOB, I've done that on things like Facebook, I'll put in Jan 1st and my actual year of birth.

[T2Eagle]

I have to add that my experience with BSA computer systems has been uniformly atrocious. I have no reason to believe that their computer systems are very secure, I just hope they're too small a target for serious identity thieves.

[walk in the woods]

It goes into a computer system to which they have no control nor guarantee of reasonable safeguards. We all make decisions with our personal information based on our priorities. Can you assure them nothing bad will happen, nope. Can you tell them it's required to be a leader, yep. Can they decide not to be a leader based on that requirement, yep. As a guy who has been victimized by CC fraud and identity theft I can't say as I blame them.

I agree Berliner, but, people still own their information. They have the right to own it, control it, and to refuse to give it with the consequences that go along with it. In my case, I give mine to my employer because I'm not independently wealthy, the BSA and my church because I work with the youth in those programs. My office works with Chicago Public Schools on a reading program. While I wanted to participate I refused to give my PID to CPS for yet another background check and yet another organization with my info volunteered by me. The consequence is I don't get to participate in a great program, but, it's a personal choice to exercise a personal freedom. I certainly won't judge these parents for making the same choice to exercise their personal freedom. It's possible the BSA will lose scouts which is sad but everybody in the organization makes a choice of whether to be here or not.

 

One other thought on the CC stuff at the scout shop, that probably has more to do with PCI compliance than anything else. The payment card industry has detailed rules about what does and doesn't constitute reasonable security in payment card environments. Not storing CC numbers and only printing the last 4 digits of the CC number on a receipt are a PCI requirement, not a BSA invention.

[walk in the woods]

They don't want to give their DOBs???? Why? Are they afraid that someone might send them a birthday card? I'd be curious as to what else they might be "hiding". Something doesn't gel here.

Hiding? That's the kind of comment a leftisit-statist makes. Choosing to exercise a personal freedom to control one's personal information doesn't mean your hiding anything. Next thing you know you all will be asking for their papers. Sheesh. You guys must all be commies.

[King Ding Dong]

They don't want to give their DOBs???? Why? Are they afraid that someone might send them a birthday card? I'd be curious as to what else they might be "hiding". Something doesn't gel here.

Commies ? Not likely. Fascists ? Maybe. Does requiring the scout to carry and produce his Toten chip and Firem'n Chit count as "your papers please" ?

 

I understand your point but the cat is out of the bag on the DOB thing. I show my name and DOB to every time I buy a bottle of wine. I routinely lie about my DOB, employer, phone number, email etc when it doesn't really matter.