Skip to main content

Take Back Control: A Beginner’s Guide to Decentralized Identity (DID)

 How many times have you clicked "Log in with Google" or "Log in with Facebook" this week?

It’s convenient, sure. But every time you do that, you are feeding the silo. You are telling a tech giant exactly what services you use, when you use them, and who you are. You don't own your digital identity; you are renting it from them.

Enter Decentralized Identity (DID)—the technology that might finally kill the password and the data silo.

What is Decentralized Identity?

Imagine a digital wallet on your phone. Inside, you have verified credentials: a digital driver’s license issued by the DMV, a diploma issued by your university, and a proof of employment issued by your boss.

When a website needs to verify you are over 21, you don't upload a photo of your ID (which creates a security risk). Instead, your wallet sends a cryptographic "proof" that simply says "Yes, this user is over 21."

  • The Website gets the verification it needs.

  • You keep your actual birthdate and address private.

  • No central authority (like Google) knows you logged in.

The "Issuer, Holder, Verifier" Triangle

This system works on a trust triangle:

  1. Issuer: The entity that gives you the credential (e.g., the government).

  2. Holder: You. You hold the credential in your wallet.

  3. Verifier: The website or service that needs to check your status.

The magic is that the Verifier checks the cryptographic signature of the Issuer. They don't need to call the Issuer to check if the ID is valid, meaning the Issuer can't track where you are using your ID.

Why This Matters in 2025

We are seeing a surge in DID adoption this year. The European Union’s Digital Identity Wallet is rolling out, and several US states are piloting mobile driver’s licenses based on DID standards.

This is the shift from Federated Identity (trusting a middleman like Google) to Self-Sovereign Identity (trusting yourself and cryptography).

How to Get Started

You can dip your toes into this world today:

  • Look for "Passkeys": While not fully DID, Passkeys are the first step toward cryptographic logins that don't rely on shared secrets (passwords).

  • Explore Identity Wallets: Apps that support the W3C Verifiable Credentials standard are appearing on app stores.

Decentralized Identity is more than just tech; it's a philosophy. It’s about owning your digital self just as fully as you own your physical self.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Does This Flashlight App Need My Location? (Understanding App Permissions)

 Have you ever downloaded a simple calculator app, a flashlight, or a solitaire game, and suddenly it asks for permission to access your Contacts , Location , and Microphone ? You might click "Allow" just to get the app to work. But you should pause. Data is Money Free apps are rarely free. If you aren't paying for the app, the developer is likely making money by selling your data. A flashlight app doesn't need to know you are in a coffee shop in Chicago. But a data broker will pay good money for that information to build a map of where you go, where you shop, and where you sleep. The "Ask App Not to Track" Revolution If you have an iPhone, you’ve seen the pop-up: "Allow app to track your activity across other companies' apps and websites?" Always click "Ask App Not to Track." This blocks the app from accessing your IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers), a unique ID code that advertisers use to follow you around the internet. A Simple 2-M...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Sharenting": Why You Should Think Twice Before Posting Your Kids Online

 We all love seeing photos of our friends' children. The first day of school, the messy birthday cake face, the bathtub photos. It feels like a digital scrapbook. But in 2025, privacy experts are warning parents about "Sharenting"—oversharing parenting content—and the long-term risks it creates for children who are too young to consent. The Risks You Might Not See 1. Identity Theft Starts Early When you post a "Happy 2nd Birthday!" photo with your child's full name and the location of their preschool, you are handing identity thieves the puzzle pieces they need. Banks and government agencies use names, birth dates, and mother's maiden names as security questions. 2. The "Forever" Digital Footprint Facial recognition technology is now standard. Photos you post today feed into databases that can track your child for the rest of their lives. A cute photo of a tantrum might seem funny now, but could it embarrass them when they apply for a job in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Beyond Cookies: Why Browser Fingerprinting is the New Privacy Battleground of 2025

 If you’re like most people, you’ve spent the last few years dutifully clicking "Reject All" on those annoying cookie banners. You might even use a privacy-focused browser that blocks third-party cookies by default. You feel relatively safe. Unfortunately, the advertising industry is one step ahead. As the "cookie cookie" crumbles, a more insidious tracking method has taken its place: Browser Fingerprinting . What is Browser Fingerprinting? Unlike a cookie, which is a file stored on your device, a fingerprint is a profile constructed from the unique characteristics of your browser and hardware. When you visit a site, it queries your browser for information, including: Screen resolution and color depth Installed fonts Operating system version Battery status Time zone Graphics card renderer (Canvas fingerprinting) Individually, these details seem harmless. But combined, they create a "digital fingerprint" that is accurate enough to identify you across the we...
Post a Comment
Read more