Could new cell phone legislation pose identity theft threat?

While some legislation works in favor of consumer privacy (or attempts to), other laws slowly peck away at the privacy that should be yours. Some of you may have heard that the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy has approved legislation requiring those who sell prepaid cell phones to photograph or photocopy one or more forms of identification. This includes the store keeping record of the name and address of the purchaser for two years as well as the serial number and manufacturer of the phone and the cell phone number.

Could this pose a possible identity theft threat? Absolutely. You're leaving a copy of at least one identifying document, including your name and address with a retailer, which means employees of this retailer (some trustworthy, others possibly not so trustworthy) will have access to this information. Identity theft is definitely a possible problem here.

Granted, this is to help track down phones that are used for criminal purposes then (probably) discarded, but there has to be a way to do this without endangering the identities of honest people who also purchase these phones.