Have to log on to the net (SIN required for matrix access, or faked)
Do you wanna say that I need a SIN/FakeSIN to form the Persona on my commlink to access the Matrix and interract with Matrix Objects? So SIN/FakeSIN and the Persona are somehow interrelated?
No, I am saying "think about the order of operations."
To access the matrix, you need a commlink, registered to you.
But, to buy and register ownership of the commlink, you need a SIN to link the registration to...(even if its a fake one)
If you don't have a Sin (or fake SIN) then digitally, you are a non entity and can't have ownership...
Its all very convoluted. But at the end of the day, with out a SIN, you are very much limited in what you can do in a modern society. Hell, you are not even allowed to walk some streets with out a SIN! So, if you don't have a SIN how do you live?
You live of the fringes of Society. You don't rent a nice apartment in a decent neighborhood, you squat in an abandoned building.
You don't go to nice restaurants... you barter for Soy-paste and and eat at McHughs (cause they take Certified Cred, and their SIN scanner is so basic, it may as well not exist!)
You don't buy your clothing from a Zoe/Armani boutique, you buy paper clothing from a vending machine or from the thrift shop (cause, again, CC reader, and cheap SIN scanner)
Now in the dystopia that is SR, there is a whole LOT of SINless. And I do mean A WHOILE LOT... how do they survive?
They scrape out a living in the areas of cities that have been abandoned by society, and establish their own networks for trade and goods... This is often referred to as a "Grey market"... Grey markets don't usually sell illegal items per say, but what they do sell is often consumer goods that are regulated or licensed by governments.
For example, First Nation produced Cigarettes in Canada. Due to our tax system and laws, if I want a pack of smokes from the gas station, its $15.50, however, First Nations can buy smokes from a First Nations shop for $3.50... Because they don't pay taxes. So what do you think happens?? First Nations buy up the packs of smokes for $3.5 each... then sell them to non First Nations for $10.00 each! Its illegal of course, as the government doesn't get its $10.00 sin tax per pack... but that doesn't stop it from happening...
Also, businesses in SR are aware of the SINless, and they are aware of their bottom line, and their Image. They know that just because you are SINless doesn't mean you don't have money (cert cred remember?). But they also have a image to maintain (maybe).
So while McHughes has to comply with a city's laws to stay open, they also know exactly who and what they are.. (Cheap, barely edible fast food) So, how much effort do you really think they put into their SIN Checker? its going to be a basic "do you have money? (Yes/No) solution. They don't care about anything else!
Same thing with many of the other "lower" class businesses that see the SINless as potential customers.
But what about, say, Ares Arms Armory, where they sell all the new lead spitting toys developed by Ares for the discerning customer interested in self protection and a large holes in objects?
Well, Ares has a Reputation to up hold. And there are laws around who can own a firearm and who can not. Sure they want to make a sale, but they a Reputation to think about! Not to mention the image of Ares Arms Armory! They can't have the unwashed masses leaving greasy prints on their shiny toys for the well to do! And think of the scandal if a "proper" citizen was shot by gun purchased from AAA by a member of the unwashed masses! No, that would never do!
Naturally, Ares is going to use a SIN scanner, and its probably going to be a decent to good one (at the very least its going to meet minimum code requirements). And they are going to run a check on every single person that comes in to buy a weapon. So SINless need not show up. (they don't want you!) And why don't they want you? Well because you don't have a SIN, and thus you don't have a license, thus selling to you is illegal and could lead to legal issues for the store if they sold you a weapon and you used it in a crime! (like walking while SINless!) Remember, Guns have serial numbers and other methods of tracking where they were made, who they were sold to (initially), and who purchased them (initially)
However, the Crime Mall will happily sell you the same Bang-Bang for a little more... it just "fell off the back of a truck" (IE: guns that Ares has reported as stolen, or destroyed, or is lacking a serial number)
What not mentioned (because its "fluff" and people seem to get mad when "fluff" is included) is that while there is a huge divide between the SIN and the SINless in terms of what they can and can not do legally... Organiztions, structures and systems get developed to always make sure goods flow to those that can pay for them (regardless of paperwork) But those avenues of movement are always shaky and could collapse at any time, change locations, or simple disappear.
(If gun violence by the Sinless gets out of hand, the police start raiding greya nd black markets to get guns off the streets for example)
Runners, who by nature of their jobs are required to keep a low profile to the world (IE usually SINless), make do with Fake Sins, and the services built up to cater to their needs.
Sure as Shadow banks for their credsticks. (because regular banks require SINs....)
Shadow Matrix networks for their matrix subscription.
Fake SINs made by the organized crime...
But honestly? Most SINless can't afford these services, or can't find them, and make do without.
All of this is in the books. its just spread around in a blurb here and a sentence there...