Social Control & Identity Theft in the Mass Media

Social Control & Identity Theft in the Mass Media
Julie Parker
SOC 313
Olson

This morning, August 28, 2009, there is an online article on MSN.com that explains how an important US economist was a victim of Identity theft. Ben Bernake, who is Chairman of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve, became a victim after his wife’s purse was stolen. Apparently Mrs. Bernake’s purse contained social security cards, check books and IDs—which combined can cause serious damage to anyone’s personal credit history and financial situation.

Much of our reading is discovering the history behind social control and various theories that back up the paradigm. There is a constant cycle of control and resistance that evolves into new concepts that helps identify individuals. One of the chapters in, “The Soft Cage” explains how resistance to slavery became rampant by forging documents so African American slaves could run errands or visit relatives during holidays. In return, community members enforced ways to ID slaves to prevent them from doing fraudulent activities.

Eventually, those methods were revolutionized into a current-day identification structure (i.e. social security cards, driver’s license, birth certificates, police records, etc.). Since we have means to indentify people in numerous ways and account for all day interactions (checking account, school schedules, online navigation), it is necessary to have coinciding documents to prove positive identity. When you go to write a check, you often need an ID. This is a way to control how society is operated in means of tracking and preventing deceptive behavior.

Since Mrs. Bernake’s purse was stolen and original documents were used, investigators were able to track the activity and account for a positive report of identity theft. This is a great example how social control has both positives and negatives. Without proper identification, it is difficult for anyone to try and imposter you. On the other side, with all proper identification, one person can drain your bank account, ruin your credit history and even do criminal acts in your name. I imagine in the long run we will have another institution that separately indentifies us. To tighten (or readjust) control, we might have harsher punishments and more prisons.

Source:
http://www.hiphopmusic.com/best_of_youtube/2009/08/ben_bernanke_id_theft_wifes_purse_stolen.html