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Secret identity in a modern world. Impossible?

27 Aug 2013 12:50 #32799 by Scwank
With all the news on the NSA spying, and some of the other technologies out there, I was thinking about our poor superheroines and their ability to maintain a secret identity. Would it even be possible in the real world today? OK, my question is somewhat tongue in cheek given how implausible some secret identities are (those eyeglasses totally fooled everyone), but technology has made her job harder. She'd probably have to leave her mobile phone behind - someone hell bent on figuring out her identity could probably use technology to plot out where she made appearances, and then cross-reference that with cell data. Face scanning and recognition has gotten scary good, too.

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27 Aug 2013 14:55 #32802 by castor
Depends.

For all the stuff about NSA records and FBI tracking down terrorists they depend to a large degree on communication and telling someone. Working on a story the premise is which a group of terroists appear that the FBI can't deal with cause they don't talk to anyone.A superheroine with good Radio silence disipline and no secret keepers i think could work well enough in theroy.

As for the old glasses problem.Well yeah.

However. Put on the average disguise of a superhero.Take a picture of yourself. I suspect that within 100 miles for the very worst, and considerably closer for something good there is someone who would look confusingly similar to you.When you get to batman level it would probabbly be impossible.

With scolera lens, makeup and the kind of mask you couldn't wear in public you could look diffrent enough to do it. This is particuarly true instead of milionare playboy, you where just waiter or something.

Yes i suspect if the FBI or someone really wanted to know who did it, somewhere you would make a mistake-but well.

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27 Aug 2013 21:06 #32804 by Camille Jones
Replied by Camille Jones on topic Secret identity in a modern world. Impossible?
Well, if someone made the necessary steps to hide their secret identity, such as wearing a mask or altering their hair or leaving any identification cards or other identity-compromosing objects behind, then they'll be fine.

Alternatively, if the government already knows a superheroine's identity, then hopefully they can set up some sort of agreement to allow her to continue her duties.

Interesting, this could also set up some sort of Superhuman Taskforce of sorts if the government wants to track down any superhumans that have proven to be dangerous to society.

You'd think that superspeed would make me more punctual, huh?

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28 Aug 2013 07:01 #32806 by Lastleaf
Replied by Lastleaf on topic Secret identity in a modern world. Impossible?
Short off being a shape-shifter with no records of any kind, it is kinda impossible. And even then I could think of ways to track them such.

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28 Aug 2013 08:49 - 28 Aug 2013 13:53 #32807 by castor

Camille Jones wrote:
Interesting, this could also set up some sort of Superhuman Taskforce of sorts if the government wants to track down any superhumans that have proven to be dangerous to society.


Of course by the same token, then you might get factors like the end of your most recent tale Camile. When the goverment decides to find where you live....

I was just wondering why any sane person would want to do something to piss you off?
Last edit: 28 Aug 2013 13:53 by fats.

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28 Aug 2013 14:07 #32808 by Camille Jones
Replied by Camille Jones on topic Secret identity in a modern world. Impossible?

castor wrote:

Camille Jones wrote:
Interesting, this could also set up some sort of Superhuman Taskforce of sorts if the government wants to track down any superhumans that have proven to be dangerous to society.


Of course by the same token, then you might get factors like the end of your most recent tale Camile. When the goverment decides to find where you live....

I was just wondering why any sane person would want to do something to piss you off?


Because that person may have delusions of grandeur. ;)

You'd think that superspeed would make me more punctual, huh?

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28 Aug 2013 17:39 #32809 by Raa
Also depends on the power level of the super. Case in point the end of Man of Steel. It could get to expensive to keep trying.

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28 Aug 2013 21:50 - 28 Aug 2013 21:51 #32810 by sgfan05
Think about how many people, spies, criminals, etc who want to hide their identity and get away with it in this modern age. If a mundane human can do that with all the technology and resources out there, why not a superheroine?
Last edit: 28 Aug 2013 21:51 by sgfan05.
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29 Aug 2013 04:19 #32818 by MisterK
Well, it's always been a contrivance. You'd have to figure that even before there was a Department of Homeland Security et al, heck even in "Golden Age of Comics" days, if someone had really tried to fight crime under an assumed identity, the state and federal governments would not have been amused. Superheroes have always demanded that you suspend disbelief.

And after all, that's part of the fun!

Wonder Woman's Diana Prince identity is a particularly difficult one to believe, and that's part of what makes her so cool! I mean--she slips that secret identity right past the military!!! You KNOW that proves the greatness of her superpowers!

We may need this fantasy more than ever.

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29 Aug 2013 13:25 #32823 by Woodclaw
Replied by Woodclaw on topic Secret identity in a modern world. Impossible?

Camille Jones wrote: Well, if someone made the necessary steps to hide their secret identity, such as wearing a mask or altering their hair or leaving any identification cards or other identity-compromosing objects behind, then they'll be fine.

Alternatively, if the government already knows a superheroine's identity, then hopefully they can set up some sort of agreement to allow her to continue her duties.

Interesting, this could also set up some sort of Superhuman Taskforce of sorts if the government wants to track down any superhumans that have proven to be dangerous to society.


I see that some of my ideas are seeping into your post, Cam :P .

Seriously though this discussion is rather complicated since it involves the degree of realism an author want to inject into his/hers stories. While CSI convinced the general public that it's possible to get the DNA from a single strand of hair (it's possible but it requires a really god-like level of skill), not to mention the magical databases.
Depending on which end of the disguise equation we consider (the Kent's glasses on one end, the CSI magical database on the other), discovering someone's secret identity can be totally impossible or incredibly easy.

sgfan05 wrote: Think about how many people, spies, criminals, etc who want to hide their identity and get away with it in this modern age. If a mundane human can do that with all the technology and resources out there, why not a superheroine?


This is a rather good argument, but with a problem. Spies, thieves and other similar characters makes lying low a priority of their job. Being inconspicous is a key ability for someone in these lines of work (look at some LeCarré novels for a reference). Superheroes tend to be in the public eye a little too much. I'm not saying that tracking someone like them will be easy, but it would certainly be easier than tracking an obscure employee, who happens to drop informations once a week through a nondescript postal office.

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29 Aug 2013 15:06 #32824 by Lastleaf
Replied by Lastleaf on topic Secret identity in a modern world. Impossible?

sgfan05 wrote: Think about how many people, spies, criminals, etc who want to hide their identity and get away with it in this modern age. If a mundane human can do that with all the technology and resources out there, why not a superheroine?


Agree with Anon. And the thieves, criminals identities are actually known, its there whereabouts that's the problem.

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02 Sep 2013 22:47 #32855 by Random321
Replied by Random321 on topic Secret identity in a modern world. Impossible?
Not everyone (including me depending on their values) or most governments are going to like vigilantes running around.

I think with the advent of radar and near real time satellite photography the life of a superhero in the real world with a secret ID would have started to get more difficult but even today – not impossible. *Maybe* the days of the street level phone booth change are over. I tried to hint at this in one of my episodes with Domina I think triangulating the heroine’s flight paths – not sure I conveyed it well.

Tips:
*Leave the mobile behind or have a battery that can be pulled and use disposable cash prepaid SIM cards.
* Use super speed – most of the security cameras out there are still low quality – or at least most of the saved recordings are still poor – and not very high frames per second.
* Try using surveillance detection routes if you are in your alter ego clothing and running for a place to change.
* Leave your house in a random direction each day and quickly do a course change once away from your home not immediately towards your final destination. Use similar caution arriving.
* Do consider going under water or certain parts of space – poor coverage there.
* Keep track of the UAV’s, Satellites, Blimps, ATM’s, tracking devices, Etc.
* ID compromised? Oh well – you’re super – start over.

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