Digital identity is how we express ourselves online. Blockchain Commons focuses on self-sovereign identity: the aspiration that each user truly controls their own identity rather than it being owned by corporate entities. Some technologies, such as attestations, fair witness methodology, and public participation profiles help to define digital identities, while others such as cliques and clubs expand them.
Why? The internet has become the public square of the 21st century. If we control our identities, we can participate as equals, but if corporations control our identities, we become digital serfs. That’s the core argument for self-sovereign identity. Other technologies address other issues such as digital relationships (cliques) and communication agency (clubs).
Self-Sovereign Identity
Identity Architecture. Self-sovereign identity is built on the principle that we should control our digital identities and be able to move them from place to place, rather than corporations being able to define who we are online.
For more see:
- SSI
- The Path to Self-Sovereign Identity (Blog)
- Revisiting SSI (Website)
XIDs
SSI Proof of Concept. DIDs were meant to be a specification for self-sovereign identities. However, the published spec hands off power to issuers. XIDs are a proof-of-concept for a truly self-sovereign SSI.
For more see:
- XIDs
- BCR-2024-010 (Research Repo)
Attestations & Endorsements Model
Identity Add-On. How do you know who someone is online? And what they could do? We used digitally signed attestations and endorsements. They’re particularly important for pseudonymous identities and public participation profiles.
For more see:
Fair Witness Methodology
Attestation Methodology. Can attestations be trusted? That question goes to the heart of digital identity. The fair witness methodology offers a way to ensure attestation biases are both recognized and minimized.
For more see:
Cryptographic Cliques
SSI Architecture. Cliques are a new model for SSI architecture that uses FROST signatures to define identity as relationships between entities.
For more see:
Gordian Clubs
SSI Communication. Once we establish self-sovereign identity, the next step is self-sovereign communication: being able to talk privately with validation and without a controlling party being able to cut us off. Clubs are a proof-of-concept for doing so.
For more see:
Public Participation Profiles
Pseudonymous Identity. One of the promises of self-sovereign is the ability to create pseudonymous identities that are not tied to your real-world persona, but that nonetheless are able to accrue attestations and endorsements and participate in public projects.
For more see:
Also linked from the page, the Learning XIDs from the Command Line tutorial from courses and the Garner self-sovereign identity document service from secure commo.