The problem of stolen identity and the Internet

Identity is a complex and multi-faceted concept that is best understood by a division into three categories: personal, social and legal. Personal identity relates to the self as experienced by the individual which can be explained as ‘what most of us think of when we think of the deepest and most enduring features of our unique selves that constitute who webelieve ourselves to be’ (Williams, 2001: 7). It is not a static self-perception but one which evolves as a result of an individual’s interaction with others and their participation in the social world. Irrespective of this evolution, personal identity is characterised by a sense of continuity, an ability to remember that we were once different to how we are now and a realisation that we will change as our life progresses held with the sure knowledge that, despite this constant metamorphosis, we remain the same person (Locke, 1690: xxvii). This internalised sense of self is inherently irremovable from the individual so it cannot be the subject of identity theft.