Data selves and identity theft in the age of AI

Abstract: This chapter examines identity theft in the digital age, particularly in the context of emerging 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.