Last week, Yik Yak and TikTok were flooded with posts suggesting that fake IDs had stopped scanning. At first, it began with only Old Iron Sides, a popular distributor of fakes, which was rumored to have been busted by the FBI, resulting in their fakes no longer working.

Soon, however, posts began saying that all fakes stopped working, leaving underage people questioning how they would get into bars or purchase alcohol. It’s unclear whether the rumors relied on the quality of the fakes themselves, if the government got involved or if scanning technology upgraded, but if true, it greatly impacts students and alcohol sellers.

A large part of the college experience for many people is drinking and going out to bars and clubs, so many underage students around the country are left wondering what options they now have to drink. Because students fill their weekends by going out with their friends, some students may feel that their college experience is worse off if the benefit of fakes has been taken away. Luckily for some students, there are some clubs and restaurants that simply look at an ID rather than scan it, but regardless, students are losing out on a majority of their options to drink.

Fake IDs not working will, of course, affect students, but the businesses that rely on student populations will suffer the most. A research study from 2007 found that 32% of second semester sophomores in college have fake IDs. The number is probably higher at Syracuse University due to the known party and drinking culture of the school, meaning many local businesses surrounding the university will likely be hurt when their former customers can no longer spend money at their establishment.

Thus, many of the Syracuse staples, places where students go every weekend to have fun with their friends, will be left vulnerable. Although these places will continue to have the business of upperclassmen, underclassmen make up a portion of their customers. Additionally, many clubs and bars are popular only among underclassmen, while upperclassmen have grown out of certain establishments, especially those close to campus. If these nearby places significantly rely on a customer base of underage students, it’s safe to assume their profits will take a hit if they have to turn away people with fakes.

Liquor stores will suffer too, specifically those that scan IDs for every purchase, as non-scanning fakes will be impossible to use. Because a majority of underclassmen don’t have cars, their only access to hard liquor was from nearby locations, which may now be unavailable to underclassmen. Students spend large sums of money at these locations, but now a chunk of that customer base will cease to exist.

Thankfully, upperclassmen and Syracuse locals will continue to go to these establishments, but the loss of underclassmen might be detrimental to the business of these local alcohol sellers. If fake IDs cease to scan won’t put local clubs, bars and liquor stores out of business, they will most likely feel the financial effects of losing their underage customers.

Hannah Starorypinski is a sophomore political science major with a minor in public communication. Her column appears bi-weekly and she can be reached at hkstaror@syr.edu

Published on February 28, 2022 at 1:45 am