Who owns your digital identity? It’s a question many of us haven’t paused to consider, even though our digital identities—email accounts, social media profiles, banking logins—are integral to how we navigate modern life. Yet, despite their importance, there’s an unsettling truth: someone else owns them. Companies, platforms, and institutions control our digital selves, and at any moment, they could alter, restrict, or even take them away.

Fundamentally, your digital identity should be yours. Owning it should be a basic human right. The frustration many of us feel with the endless chaos of managing passwords and accounts stems from an underlying issue: the lack of control. Passwords are just patches on a deeper problem. The fact is, most of us don’t have any real say in what happens to our digital identities. If a company wants to deactivate or ban your account, there’s often little you can do.

Creating a system where you truly own your digital identity is technically possible, yet no one has delivered it. Why? Perhaps it’s because organizations would need to give up their ownership over your digital data—and that’s not something they’re eager to do. This raises troubling questions about power and control. Why should external entities govern something as personal as your digital identity? These systems aren’t built for your autonomy; they’re designed to benefit the organizations that manage them.

The lack of self-ownership is more than an inconvenience—it’s a vulnerability. Knowing that someone else controls your digital identity is unsettling. At any moment, it could be revoked, hacked, or manipulated, leaving you without recourse. This sense of powerlessness is at the root of why digital identity ownership matters so much.

A future where we own our digital identities isn’t just wishful thinking—it’s achievable. Technologies like decentralized systems, cryptography, and blockchain offer pathways to building identities that belong to individuals, not institutions. But the challenge isn’t just technical; it’s about shifting mindsets and power dynamics. Solutions must prioritize autonomy, privacy, and security, ensuring individuals control their own data.

Owning your digital identity isn’t just a convenience—it would fundamentally change how we interact with the digital world. It would mean freedom from the fear of losing access, reduced reliance on passwords, and greater protection for your personal data. Most importantly, it would restore a sense of self-possession and control.

As individuals, we must push for this future and demand systems that work for us—not against us. If digital identities are as essential as they seem, should we accept anything less than full ownership?

It should be a basic human right.