Digital Identity as a Way of Presence of a Subject of Law in Cyberspace

Abstract

Digital identity is a composite concept and includes several components: information and software and functional elements. The information element of digital identity includes a digital profile, digital image and digital footprint of the legal entity in cyberspace. This is a set of data on a specific person, which either allows him/her to be identified (“digital passport”) or presented to a certain community of persons interacting in cyberspace (“digital business card”). The software and functional element of digital identity suggests that a digital profile can be called a digital identity when it is used by the user to interact with other users of the relevant content, that is, it performs the function of a communication tool. However, for this, the digital profile and digital image of the user must be equipped with the appropriate software. Accordingly, the concept of “digital identity” includes, firstly, a set of information on the legal entity (digital profile, digital image and digital footprint), and secondly, software that allows acting in cyberspace using the downloaded information. Thus, digital identity is a way of presence of the legal entity in cyberspace and a way of remote interaction with other legal entities in the Internet World.