Drexel University
Abstract
This chapter examines identity theft in the digital age, particularly in the
context of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. It begins with a
discussion of big data and selfhood, the concepts of data selves and data
doubles, and the process of identification in the digital age. Next, the
literature on online identity theft is reviewed, including its theoretical and
empirical aspects. As is evident from that review, AI technologies have
increased the speed and scale of identity crimes that were already rampant in
the online world, even while they have led to new ways of detecting and
preventing such crimes. As with any new technology, AI is currently fuelling an
arms race between criminals and law enforcement, with end users often caught
powerless in the middle. The chapter closes by exploring some emerging
directions and future possibilities of identity theft in the age of AI.
AI Insights - Synthetic identity fraud dominates the threat landscape, blending stolen and fabricated data.
- Distributed self theory shows how avatars and social media fragment personal identity across platforms.
- AI anomaly detection flags synthetic profiles early, yet attackers adapt in real time.
- User education remains the weakest link; awareness campaigns can cut risk by up to 30âŻ%.
- Fear of identity theft paradoxically drives both avoidance of online services and proactive security.
- Identity theft correlates with higher anxiety, depression, and reduced institutional trust.
- Read Zuboffâs Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Soloveâs 2003 vulnerability paper, and WalkerâMooreâs 2018 synthetic fraud thesis.
Abstract
The ethical and legal imperative to share research data without causing harm
requires careful attention to privacy risks. While mounting evidence
demonstrates that data sharing benefits science, legitimate concerns persist
regarding the potential leakage of personal information that could lead to
reidentification and subsequent harm. We reviewed metadata accompanying
neuroimaging datasets from six heterogeneous studies openly available on
OpenNeuro, involving participants across the lifespan, from children to older
adults, with and without clinical diagnoses, and including associated clinical
score data. Using metaprivBIDS (https://github.com/CPernet/metaprivBIDS), a
novel tool for the systematic assessment of privacy in tabular data, we found
that privacy is generally well maintained, with serious vulnerabilities being
rare. Nonetheless, minor issues were identified in nearly all datasets and
warrant mitigation. Notably, clinical score data (e.g., neuropsychological
results) posed minimal reidentification risk, whereas demographic variables
(age, sex, race, income, and geolocation) represented the principal privacy
vulnerabilities. We outline practical measures to address these risks, enabling
safer data sharing practices.