Troy and You

Did some of Troy's day sound familiar? Smartphones have become multifunctional tools for many of us. We use them for communicating, surfing the Internet, checking sports scores, and even shopping and banking. Some of these actions can be done semi-anonymously, while others require information about who we are or even sensitive information, such as credit card and bank account numbers. It is the same in the physical world: we can do some activities without anyone knowing who we are, while other activities require us to share very personal information. The digital world generally feels more anonymous than the physical world because it appears we are only interacting with machines. However, the reality is very different.

In the physical world, you are an individual who can be recognized on sight by anyone who knows you. You can prove who you are to those who don't know you by offering proof of identity such as a driver's license or passport. It is your choice when and with whom...