'I' for IDENTITY

Identity and Digital Identity

Identity very simply means 'Who you are'. It is how other people recognize you. It is how you can be singled out as a unique individual from a group of people and listed as a unique person in any record.

Digital identity specifically means any personal data existing online that can help you prove who you are and be linked to the real you in the digital world. It is an extension of all that makes up you physical identity.

Identity also can take up various meanings in different aspects – social, occupational, philosophical, ethnic, personal, family relationships, community level, political etc. It can also be represented in various forms. And there is an element of continuity to many of these forms & aspects – they do not change with the passage of time. But there are few other aspects that will change. That is why it’s a very complex subject.

What are its various forms?

Physically there are different facets to Identity like your name, face, fingerprints, your voice & other physical attributes that can be uniquely recognized as you. Apart from these there are your photos, phone number, KYC documents like Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, DL etc, email ID, social media accounts, bank account details, Cards & UPI handle, your online search history & activity, User IDs & passwords etc. that are other aspects of establishing your identity. As many of these have transformed to digital formats now, they come together to form your Digital identity.

Let us take a simple example: If you go to a shop for the first time to purchase vegetables the shopkeeper identifies you with your face & voice and purchase is completed by you paying physical cash to him or doing a digital payment using UPI. No other form of identification is required. But if you are buying something on Amazon, first you will need to identify yourself by logging into the website with your unique username & password. Then the purchase is made online either by using a Credit Card or Netbanking or UPI which is again completed using the respective login details, passwords & OTPs. So while all of these are different unique details but they all link back to you & as a whole form your Identity.

Why is it important to keep your Identity details safe & private?

Your identity holds lot of value as it what you solely & uniquely own and allows you to avail various benefits & services. Physically it is easy to a large extent to keep your identity details unique, safe & private but in the digital world you need to be more aware. Other individuals & companies can use your online data to their advantage to sell you products, bother you with unwanted advertisements or in worst case, misuse it to scam you out of money or involve you in dubious activities, without your knowledge, identity theft being the most common one. So take control of your Digital Identity and be careful about where you share your information & not sharing more than what is needed. Take consent seriously and ensure you never give it under duress or compulsion. Let us ensure that our daily internet interactions are simple, safe and easy without the stress.