What is a Digital Identity?
Every person online leaves traces. Email addresses, social media accounts, forum posts, professional profiles, public records, and even "deleted" content. Together, these traces form a digital identity — a composite picture of who someone is online.
The Three Pillars
- **Self-declared Identity**: What people say about themselves (LinkedIn, personal websites, social bios).
- **Behavioral Identity**: What people do online (posts they engage with, groups they join, content they share).
- **Attributed Identity**: What others say or what public records show (news mentions, court records, property records).
Why This Matters for OSINT
- Corroborating or contradicting claims
- Finding alternative contact methods
- Building target profiles for further investigation
- Identifying potential risks or credibility issues
Legal Boundaries
Always respect privacy laws in your jurisdiction. Public information is not the same as ethically collected information. Know the difference.