Do you think companies should stop using mothers maiden name as a security question

I agree and do not choose that.

Just choose any name. They aren’t going to check!
And don’t enter any stupid facebook quizzes that ask information like that!

Usually you can choose a question from a drop down menue.
I never use real names. In the end it needs to be something that is only known by you...

Think they’ve already stopped doing this; at least, I haven’t been asked it for a while. It’s all faces, passcodes and fingerprints these days.

When I was asked it I always gave MILs… DMs was Polish and had too many Z’s for comfort. If I’d had to speak it to someone over the phone they’d never have known how to spell it. Anyway, they’re not checking to see if it’s accurate, just checking you know a word you’ve chosen for security.

YANBU ive always thought it was a poor question as loads of friends would know it.

Just invent a name then.

Because it’s an outdated concept? It’s obviously a loaded question. @CitronellaDeVille explained it well with their post:

It’s the question itself and the meaning, culture and assumptions embedded in it. Plus as many have demonstrated, the sheer inappropriateness and irrelevance.

Why does it need to 'fade out' for the reason you've given?

I mean, there remains answer to that question, whether or not your mother ever married, so just give that answer. 🤷

My mum didn't marry my dad until I was 35 and even then didn't change her name. It's very old fashioned. Most women I know don't change their name on marriage so it will probably die out as a concept in the next few generations.

I agree in principle, but now I come to think about it I haven't been asked for my MMN in years, so I think probably most institutions have already stopped doing it.

Nowadays I think you're mostly asked to give a choice of security questions and answers when you set up an account, e.g. first school, first pet, first car, middle name of oldest sibling.

I find it odd too.

I get asked for my mums maiden name for things.

My mum is dead.

I actually get caught out every time I'm asked and would prefer being asked for a memorable word.

I lie on all of those questions and have a key with what question I have actually answered. So I might use a siblings first name in place of mother maiden name and then first school as siblings name for example

I have my mother’s surname (by my own choice) but to be honest I don’t really think it’s an issue. My son was on the phone yesterday and as he has autism I was next to him to help if needed. They asked him the question, he looked at me and I blurted out the name I use now rather than my actual maiden name, because it’s MY mothers maiden name 🤣 Probably just as well because it’s a much more common easier to pronounce name.

I don't think the OP understands that it doesn't have to be the genuine maiden name. I've never used my mother's maiden name, even when that's the question. I used a different name. Same with other security questions - I never answer the question correctly, I always use a false name, i.e. first pet's name, childhood best friend, etc etc. No one is going to check that the answer you first give when setting up security questions is actually correct.

the biggest reason is because the mother’s maiden name is decently likely to be the person’s surname.

Security questions are going the way of the do-do anyway. They only work if they are things that would never change, but can’t researched.

At least it's factual and because of that it's easy to remember. Unlike "what is your favourite xyz". Some banks insist on three questions and they don't have three factual ones.

There are always other options:

Birthplace
First car
First pet's name
First best friend's name

It's a non issue.

Me too, my surname is my mother’s maiden name. I’ve even had companies act like they don’t believe me!

The last time I needed to set a security answer it had about 20 options for questions. Street you grew up, first pet, old names, what you wanted to be when you grew up, favourite book... so plenty of options

My mum's maiden name was very long and double barrelled. It's a pain so I just use something else.

That’s actually very clever - I might use that! 😊

It’s not whether or not we give accurate answers that is the issue.

It’s the question itself and the meaning, culture and assumptions embedded in it. Plus as many have demonstrated, the sheer inappropriateness and irrelevance.

This. I generally use a random word.

It's the term 'maiden name' I find repugnant. It implies that a man's name is rightfully his whilst a woman's is an anachronistic announcement of her sexual status. If that means using their imagination to dream up a less nauseating security question then that's fine by me.

Surely no one actually uses their mother's 'maiden name' nowadays?

Ours are nearly all essentially extra passwords, which we keep track of in a coded form. The banks etc aren't in the least fazed when we have to look them up and decode them.