answer:I don’t think it would deter identity theft really. There are so many things you can apply for online or through the mail without ever showing a picture ID of who you are, so it wouldn’t matter at all if there was a picture on the card or not. I had my debit card number stolen somehow and someone made charges online with that information (without even using my real name on the transaction), so pictures really aren’t going to stop it. As far as using it as an ID for people that lost their license, most stated have ID cards for people that don’t have a driver’s license. So it’s really not necessary to put a picture on the social security card as well.