  We study the role of entanglement and non-locality in quantum protocols that
make use of systems of identical particles. Unlike in the case of
distinguishable particles, the notions of entanglement and non-locality for
systems whose constituents cannot be distinguished and singly addressed are
still debated. We clarify why the only approach that avoids incongruities and
paradoxes is the one based on the second quantization formalism whereby it is
the entanglement of the modes that can be populated by the particles what
really matters and not the particles themselves. Indeed, by means of a
metrological and of a teleportation protocol, we show that inconsistencies
arise in formulations that force entanglement and non-locality to be properties
of the identical particles rather than of the modes they can occupy. The reason
resides in the fact that orthogonal modes can always be addressed while
identical particles can not.
