Peering Digital IDs
Britt Blaser has a straight-forward explanation of how Xpertweb differs from the centralized identity systems used today (think credit cards and login names/IDs).
The keystone of self-organizing networks of trust is to allow a growing identity that reflects our fractal selves to move easily from task to task, sharing information selectively and securely. We aren't one identity, but many, and "federated" identity systems favored by many for purposes of simplifying the launch of Digital IDs enforces a kind of narrow view of the individual, because a federation will organize itself around how its members see either a.) their customers or employees -- in commercial applications, or b.) they see themselves. The former is the corporate road that eventually separates us from our rights to personal information and the latter, the Xpertweb way, is how we begin to build economic and political leverage as individuals and groups of individuals cooperating to solve problems.
Posted by Mitch Ratcliffe at June 5, 2003 09:36 AM | TrackBack