Identity & Security ~

A discussion highlighting pain points and use cases in the creation of Identity Security

June 7, 2024 @ 1400 UTC via Zoom

Pain Points

• Users lose autonomy over their identities in centralized systems.

• Credentials stored in one wallet often can't be recognized by another.

• Lack of standardization has hindered the adoption and compatibility of digital identity solutions.

• Interoperability issues between different wallets and platforms complicate the use of digital credentials.

• Users struggle to securely manage their own data and face challenges in recovering lost credentials.

Use Cases

• Decentralized recovery mechanisms for lost credentials, such as sharding seeds across trusted contacts.

• Self custody of data and reductions in broad data collection minimizes security risk and complies with GDPR.

• Identity solutions to track participation and contributions in decentralized governance systems.

• Users can choose which parts of their credentials to share with different entities.

• Universities issuing degrees and certificates digitally that can be stored and verified by individuals.

Qualitative Elements:

• The discussion highlighted the philosophical and practical aspects of digital identity.

• Emphasis on the user's right to control their data and the need for systems that respect this right.

• Participants discussed the balance between decentralization and practicality, highlighting existing solutions and the potential for broader implementation.

Quantitative Elements:

• The W3C standardization process for DIDs and verifiable credentials took from 2016 to 2022 to complete.

• The US government's plan to issue digital passports using DIDs by 2025.

Verifiable Credentials Data Model v2.0www.w3.org