Title: Leading the Way in Decentralized Identity
Author: 0xJustice.eth#6213
Date Published: Aug 24, 2022
Some of you saw the Ottespace proposal and rightly asked why it was submitted if we already have been working with other NFT partners like Mint Kudos for months. I’d like to address that question and paint a picture of what I think is the most promising path for the DAO concerning decentralized identity and partner relations.
Our identities can’t be comprehensively described with a single token. They are an unlimited collection of interrelated properties. There are also several incredible companies and products launching with the vision of serving in this area. I think the DAOs best strategy is to leverage both of these truths to a strategic position and pilot several technologies.
This may ultimately result in us using one, all, or non of them, but if we do it in a complimentary fashion, everyone wins. Our partners get practical and actionable feedback, and the DAO doesn’t irresponsibly and preemptively go all-in on one solution. I love all of our partners; I believe in what they’re doing and have seen with my own eyes their ability to execute. For this reason, I am actively proposing that we pilot the following products in the following way.
Personal Endorsements
Mint Kudos for intracommunity endorsements. Right now, this is limited to a single Discord channel, but it can be opened to the whole community at the right time. Mint Kudos allows anyone to create non-transferable NFTs and send it to someone as a personal endorsement. The team is doing amazing stuff, and their approach may ultimately be the most impactful on how Web3 evaluates reputation in a purely decentralized network.
Knowledge Evaluation
Mint Kudos, in partnership with Bankless Academy, is launching non-transferable credentials for completed Bankless Academy courses. This is huge! It has ramifications for onboarding and opens the door to more sophisticated leveling and governance systems. This is The DAOs proof of acquired knowledge (POAK) and a cool step beyond mere participation.
Roles (Jobs)
Just because you have skills and endorsements doesn’t mean you have a particular job. Otterspace has just launched their badges product that allows the creation of badges that have both refined minting permissions and expiration dates. I have suggested that we partner with them by mirroring our existing roles.
Course Completion
Most Universities have attendance and participation requirements. You can’t just take the final and get credit for the course. Our friends at Rep3 have made a compelling product I think would fit nicely as a tool for Guilds or working groups to issue class certificates. Combined with the Bankless Academy knowledge evaluations, we can holistically represent a person’s participation and final knowledge.
Fiat Identity Verification
Lastly, we have PolygonID. This amazing product allows Web3 natives to KYC and verifies fiat credentials in a zero-knowledge fashion. This has huge ramifications for creating Sybil-resistant sysetsm and validating fiat credentialing claims. There is work being done now to possibly pilot this with the Legal Guild.
I want to reiterate that all the tools being promoted and endorsed here:
- Are opt-in
- Don’t change existing DAO processes or procedures
- Are compatible with the gating and reputation tools we’re exploring elsewhere, such as Orange Protocol and Guild.xyz
This approach puts us at the front of the line to use and influence the direction of Web3 identity.
Web3 design patterns’ strength is in composability and compatibility. I think the above approach is in line with that and makes for a kinder ask of our partners. No one can be everything to everyone, and asking our partners to do so is a setup for stress and disappointment. Let’s work with our partners and support them and their core competencies and visions, and all win and learn together in the process.
A discussion is going on right to create a research report covering all the ideas and issues related to decentralized identity. I can think of no better way to bring that to fruition than by being that community using and experimenting with the newest tools in the space.