"The most dynamic trend (in determining identity) is hyper-connectivity, " Prof Beddington told BBC News.

BBC: Web 're-defining' human identity says chief scientist

There are startups out there that use hyper-connectivity to enable much more powerful scenarios.

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But that very hyper-connectivity makes us more vulnerable to cyber-terrorism and other threats.

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"In this new era of mobility, Internet, smartphones, and applications, Hyper-connectivity is set to redefine the relationships between individuals, consumers, and enterprises, " he said.

WSJ: Tech Europe: Predictions for the coming year