Worldwide internet pay service Paypal will send all its users worldwide a box to make internet payments more secure (em, Dutch). This is a dead end. THE biggest problem of the internet at the moment (actually from the beginning) is identification. Not just for payments but for anything we do: how to communicate with friends (Is this e-mail safe? Not sure? Then we first take out all multi-media, for security purposes), how to communicate with brands (securing your account), and how to make payments. These are just examples. Will we get a separate box from every company, for every site? Shelves full of boxes, instead of an endless list of passwords? I hope not. And I don't think it will happen.

The main reason for the identification problem is the fact that the internet wasn’t designed for consumer usage in general, and definitely not for the way it is used today. We need a new version that can handle this problem. That makes sure nobody can log in unauthorized. And that makes it possible for the consumer to then explore the internet under his or her real name, or under a pseudonym. What we need, is an internet passport. Like a real passport. Or maybe a combination. And a security system that warns you when somebody tries to log in to the internet under your name. This is something the (international) government should take care of. That will be a big hassle, but it will be a big step forward. And we really need it, as right now, we’re completely on the wrong track.

• in Dutch