That is an extension of my unique tweet on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DreamerlyHQ/status/1586024999638470656
The Twitter model is brief and candy whereas this put up digs just a little deeper into the topic. For those who take pleasure in this put up, please take into account following our Twitter (@dreamerlyHQ) https://twitter.com/DreamerlyHQ (it actually motivates me to put in writing extra cool and attention-grabbing stuff sooner or later, so thanks for following!)
Let’s dive in!
Why do you have to care about decentralized identification?
An enormous a part of our fashionable life occurs on-line. As a consequence, you want an identification to symbolize you within the digital world. After we speak about identification, notably on-line identification, what we consider is stuff like username, avatar, variety of followers, content material that you simply share on-line, or something that separates you from others. Such data is basically entries saved within the databases of Meta, Google, and Twitter.
And right here is the factor: you don’t personal it. Meta, Google, and Twitter do.
Now, most individuals already know that reality, however what’s so improper with not proudly owning your knowledge? In any case, we’d like instruments to perform our every day lives, and people platforms nonetheless work okay (more often than not) for us. What to complain about?
In all probability nothing, aside from once we are banned from accessing the service (you probably have ever been suspended on Reddit, welcome on board!), when their algorithms change in much less favor of our advantages, or when the platforms shut down (you suppose Fb will final your total lifetime?).
I do know, I’m being excessive. Most of us are simply common customers. We adjust to the foundations, we aren’t bots, and we don’t do something that violates the coverage. However it’s also the truth that we’re simply common customers that make us really feel powerless once we don’t personal our knowledge. More often than not, we’re compliant customers, however every now and then, we might do unintentional issues that might unintentionally make these platforms suppose we’re dangerous. And since you’re a common consumer, this can be very troublesome to cope with the platform. It’s the danger of unintentionally getting harmed by the platform that makes not proudly owning your knowledge an issue.
That’s simply the primary disagreeable factor about not proudly owning knowledge. After all, it’s only a chance, however the subsequent disagreeable factor isn’t a likelihood, it’s a certain factor: these platforms (and the third events) will use your knowledge to gasoline their companies. Now we have to consent to offer away our knowledge though we truly don’t wish to!
Subsequent comes the safety downside. These consumer databases are so worthwhile that they’ve grow to be honeypots for hackers. At this level, I really consider that my knowledge has been leaked someplace, simply undecided the place. Bear in mind the Fb-Cambridge Analytica scandal? Million of customers have their knowledge leaked and the hacked knowledge is used to ship political promoting to the customers.
That’s not all. The database isn’t solely centralized however it’s also siloed by every community. Fb has a model of you, Twitter has one other, and Instagram has one other. Whereas it’s cool that I’ve a distinct self on every of the platforms, I’m uninterested in rebuilding my profile and my fame time and again. And if these platforms shut down or I get banned, I’ll lose all of the issues I’ve on that platform. (Truly, I can obtain my knowledge on Fb, however what can I do with it? Import such knowledge onto Twitter? Elon, can we try this but?)
Alright, sufficient for ranting. Time for an answer.
Enter Decentralized Identification
What can we do to resolve these issues? Decentralized identification is perhaps reply.
So what’s decentralized identification? Let’s have a high-level understanding of decentralized identification earlier than we dive into the working mechanism of decentralized identification beneath the hood.
The important thing distinction between web2 identification and web3 identification is centered round two issues: identification possession and portability (one other phrase is interoperability).
Identification possession is an important trait of decentralized identification. The phrase decentralized implies that the possession is dispersed from the centralized identities and is restored to customers’ fingers.
The second attention-grabbing trait of decentralized identification is portability, which implies you need to use your identification to entry completely different platforms seamlessly.
Now, let’s get beneath the hood of how Decentralized Identifiers (DID) works.
At the moment, essentially the most accepted commonplace for DID is made by World Extensive Internet Consortium (W3C). As per the usual of W3C, a DID is a URI (just like a URL) that may resolve to (i.e., look as much as) a DID doc. Let’s pause just a little and look carefully at every component.
– URI: URI is fairly just like URL. It’s used to determine a logical or bodily useful resource on the web.
– DID doc is a doc that accommodates data related to the topic that DID seek advice from (DID topic).
– DID doc is saved on a verifiable knowledge registry, which is usually a blockchain or decentralized storage (eg., Ceramic Community)
– The final part within the DID infrastructure is DID controller, which controls (modifications or updates) DID. DID controller can typically be DID topic.
Beneath is the graph that reveals the infrastructure of DID (supply: W3C)
One other decentralized identification commonplace is Verifiable Credentials. Whereas DID represents your identification, VCs symbolize your achievements, certificates, and participation. For instance, a VC is usually a badge that helps a member of a DAO show their contribution to the group and thus, obtain extra voting energy.
Moreover utilizing DID and VC to create decentralized identification, one other option to create decentralized identification is to wrap the identification in a token, corresponding to an NFT or a Soulbound Token. This token will comprise the information that make up its proprietor’s identification. Since consumer owns this token, they will use it to entry any platform throughout web3 (portability).
Prime initiatives in decentralized identification
Sufficient for principle. Let’s discover the highest initiatives engaged on making decentralized identification a actuality.
1/ Disco (disco.xyz/)
Though nonetheless within the beta part, Disco has attracted quite a lot of consideration. It helps customers create their identification in web3 and so they can take this identification with them to entry any apps and areas within the ecosystem, multi function “backpack”.
At the moment, Disco shops consumer knowledge on Ceramic Community, a decentralized storage, however will combine extra storage options over time.
Just lately, Disco built-in with Guild to permit gated entry and customised roles utilizing VCs.
2/ Spruce (spruceid.com/)
Spruce is constructing infrastructure for decentralized identification. Its DIDKit helps builders construct DIDs and VCs performance for his or her initiatives throughout platforms.
Spruce additionally presents Kepler, a decentralized storage, which is a vital part of DID system.
The corporate is funded by Y Combinator and a16z.
3/ Lens Protocol (lens.xyz/)
Lens Protocol is a decentralized social community. On the core, Lens Protocol has two parts:
– Profile NFT
– Initiatives construct on prime of Lens
The Profile NFT is the primary object within the Lens Protocol. Consider this NFT as your moveable profile. The particular factor about this NFT is the power to put up publications (content material) to it. It additionally accommodates all of the posts, feedback, and different content material that you simply generate.
Because you personal this NFT, you additionally personal the entire knowledge and content material that you simply generate on the platform (aka social graph) and produce it to new platforms.
What’s extra, Lens permits builders to create platforms on prime of it, making a wealthy and vibrant ecosystem. On Lens, customers can add their movies on Lenstube (a Web3 YouTube), replace what is occurring on Lenster (a Web3 Twitter), and lots of extra sooner or later.
4/ Sismo (sismo.io/)
Sismo helps customers declare badges within the type of a soulbound token (SBT). For instance, a badge could be “Donated to Gitcoin grants” or “Voted 2 occasions within the ENS DAO”. These badges may help customers acquire entry to gated companies or show their fame inside a group.
Thanks for studying this far. Hope you realized an ideal deal about decentralized identification. Admire any feedback and suggestions.
For those who like this put up, please please take into account following my Twitter (@dreamerlyHQ) https://twitter.com/DreamerlyHQ
