19A/ 7 Essential Life Credentials for Identity for All

7 Essential Life Credentials for Identity for All

Thursday 19A

Convener: Nicky Hickman - Sovrin

Notes-taker(s): Sankarshan

Discussion notes, key understandings, outstanding questions, observations, and, if appropriate to this discussion: action items, next steps: 

• Introductions from the participants

  • [please see recording for the detail]

• “Delivering Identity for All”

  • Having a more focused approach to address some of the missing bits

  • The conversation is aimed to start understanding what the next step is on the delivery

• Why does Identity for All matter?

  • Inclusion + trust = resilience and prosperity for all

  • Significant progress made in the Sovrin foundation - driven by the use of inclusive design techniques. The Governance Framework includes Inclusive By Design as one of the 5 design practices. The whitepaper on IoT includes personas which are edge cases which are deliberately chosen to underscore this approach

  • DLT Identification Systems in the humanitarian sector and Guardianship whitepaper

  • The core components of delivery are present

    • Reference frame of the ToIP stack and work underway for the Sovrin Governance Authority = Sovrin Ecosystem (SSI as a universal service for all) + Sovrin Utility (enable SSI as universal service for all)

    • Missing : standard credentials are still reliant on a state/organisation

    • Missing : guardianship, offline connectors and low-tech SSI

    • Missing: delivery on the ground for missing 1.1bn

    • Missing: Ability to self assert most basic identity

    • Missing: ability to have SSI for > 50% of global population or for all of our lives

  • Next Steps Life Credentials

    • We are human beings and therefore there are certain things which are common to us (7 ages of man) - what are those common life credentials?

      • Using the construct of “I am …” to understand and arrive at are essential credentials

      • [Neil] individuals at a vulnerable state need assistance and special services to be part of the economy and social structure - different access, different credentials or perhaps different management.

      • [Alan or was it Jeff?] are there specific reasons for omitting gender from the construct - assertions of gender

        • [Nicky] it is a political point and when in context of this conversation it would not specifically matter

      • [Rachel] what would be an assertion of “I am a worker”

        • [Nicky] these assertions “I am…” are the core life arc credentials but there are also core roles

        • [Carly] Is that also similar to Parent? Would that be too limited? Transition child → adult - there is a blurring of the line based on rights

        • [Neil] as we go through life we tend to take on different roles (perhaps noted as attribute)

        • [Eric]

      • [Karen] can we capture Work Life, it has become a very big identifier in our society

  • Arc of Guardianship

    • Guardianship supports Self-Sovereignty

      • [Carly] Just a thought - you move from being passive (being governed) to active (governing) and back finally to passive. As you move along the path you gradually move from one to the other with many abilities being added and subtracted.

      • [Neil] A problem with SSI is it may not be credible (or trusted). The current model is that personal identity is asserted by central/large organizations (Government, Bank, Licensing organization)

        • [Chris] important to consider that, SSI is not limited to self-issued credentials. SSI supports an entire universe of possible credentials, including government issued credentials.

    • Life Credentials as the backbone for asserting of our human rights