https://digitalsovereignty.herbertyang.xyz/series/reclaim-your-data-sovereignty/Recent content in Reclaim Your Data Sovereignty on Digital Sovereignty ChronicleHugoenWed, 14 Oct 2026 14:38:32 +0800https://digitalsovereignty.herbertyang.xyz/p/the-messenger-that-doesnt-know-who-you-are/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:38:32 +0800https://digitalsovereignty.herbertyang.xyz/p/the-messenger-that-doesnt-know-who-you-are/<p><img src="https://digitalsovereignty.herbertyang.xyz/p/the-messenger-that-doesnt-know-who-you-are/watch.jpg" alt="big brother" loading="lazy"> </p> <h2 id="the-invasion-of-instant-messengers">The invasion of instant messengers</h2> <p>Our digital identity in 2026 is increasingly anchored by three pillars: <strong>email</strong>, <strong>phone number</strong>, and <strong>credit card</strong>. They define what we are (a human, not a bot) and who we are. Several of the most popular mainstream instant messaging (“IM&quot;) apps collect at least one of these three - usually the phone number.</p> <p>A phone number eventually leads to a government-issued ID and a credit card for payment. In many countries, getting a burner phone with cash is no longer an option.</p>