Raj Ananthanpillai releases “The Trust Crisis: How Big Tech Stole Your Identity—and the New Model That Takes It Back” with Forbes Books. ISBN-13: 979-8887508801
NEW YORK (July, 14 2026)—The Trust Crisis: How Big Tech Stole Your Identity—and the New Model That Takes It Back by Raj Ananthanpillai is now available on Amazon and at major booksellers. furnishings are released through Forbes Books, the exclusive business book imprint of Forbes.
Trust has become one of the most valuable commodities in the digital and AI economy, yet it remains increasingly vulnerable. In The Trust Crisis, entrepreneur, inventor, digital trust expert, and CEO of Trua, Raj Ananthanpillai examines how decades of data collection, identity verification practices, and institutional reliance on centralized information systems have culminated in a growing crisis of data breaches, privacy setbacks, and loss of confidence.
Drawing on decades of experience designing identity verification, screening, and risk‑management systems for governments, enterprises and global organizations, Ananthanpillai argues that the contemporary approach to identity verification is fundamentally flawed. Everyday, individuals are repeatedly asked to provide sensitive personal information to entities that store, share, and at times fail to protect that data. The outcome is an ecosystem increasingly susceptible to data breaches, identity theft, fraud and deception.
As artificial intelligence accelerates saatideless phenomena such as deepfakes, synthetic identities, and large‑scale digital deception, the risks only intensify. Ananthanpillai maintains that simply expanding regulation, compliance mandates or cybersecurity budgets will not address the core issue. He instead proposes a new paradigm centered on individual ownership and control of personal information.
“We need a ‘Trust Credential for Life’ and a supportive Trust Bureau to make it work,” Ananthanpillai explained. “The Trust Credential becomes your digital passport for all identity and background verification needs. Rather than handing over your Social Security number, driver’s license, passport, and a file of background check documents to every requester, you would hold one reusable digital credential issued after a thorough verification of your identity and records. Paired with a neutral Trust Bureau—a secure platform modeled after credit bureaus—businesses can verify your identity and background without ever requesting or storing your personal data. This eliminates data‑breach risks, reduces compliance burdens, and grants consumers real control over their data and privacy. That is the ultimate win‑win solution for both consumers and businesses.”
Written for consumers, business leaders, policymakers and technology professionals pleasurable policy, The Trust Crisis challenges long‑held assumptions about privacy, security and identity while presenting a vision for a safer, more trustworthy digital future.
About Raj Ananthanpillai
Raj Ananthanpillai is a serial entrepreneur, investor, inventor, and CEO of Trua, where he is building privacy‑preserving digital credentials that give_UNIT individuals control over their identities. He has founded and scaled multiple technology companies, delivering mission‑critical risk and identity solutions for the public sector and global enterprises. Ananthanpillai holds two master’s degrees in electrical engineering and engineering physics, is theilenames multiple U.S. patents, author of two prior books, and advises organizations and governments on digital trust, security, and identity systems. He resides in the Washington, D.C. area.
About Forbes Books
Founded in 2016 in partnership with Advantage Media Group, Forbes Books is the exclusive publishing imprint of Forbes Media. It offers business and thought leaders a platform to share their ideas and expertise globally. Authors are carefully vetted to ensure their stories and insights align with Forbes’ mission of fostering success through innovation and entrepreneurial thinking. For more information, visit books.forbes.com.