idfügg

Idfügg is a term used in speculative philosophy and science fiction to describe a mode of identity in which an entity’s persistence or sameness over time is defined by its data footprint rather than solely by intrinsic properties. In this view, an object's identity depends on externally recorded information—such as logs, sensor traces, or behavioral histories—that accumulate and endure across time.

The term has no single canonical origin or universal definition; it is employed across disciplines to illustrate debates about persistence, privacy, and what it means to be the same agent or object.

In philosophical discussions, Idfügg is contrasted with essentialist or intrinsicist accounts of identity. Proponents argue that data histories can capture continuity in a way intrinsic properties cannot, while critics contend that data dependence threatens the stability of identity if data are incomplete, altered, or manipulated.

In fictional contexts, Idfügg often appears as a plot device where characters’ identities may change as their data histories diverge, are corrupted, or are uploaded to new substrates, such as virtual avatars or AI systems. It raises questions about legal personhood, responsibility, and the right to an unaltered identity.

See also: Identity, Data provenance, Digital personhood, Information ethics.