Re: Browser ID, WebID & URLs

On 18 Jul 2011, at 01:44, Ben Adida wrote:

>> 
>> Also I think it's far cleaner to allow the user to directly assert the
>> association of a URL with their identity rather than leave it to any
>> other party.
> 
> So this is a self-assertion? With BrowserID, assertions are done by the
> email domain. Why would they sign whatever URL the user wants them to
> sign? What authority do they have to make that assertion?

The use case of course would be the one where that server is providing both
an e-mail address and a profile page. Google is one such provider. But any
e-mail server can put up a page associating a simple key-pair with a 
WebID.

Vice versa, if the social networking service does not own the e-mail domain 
of all of its users, then it won't be easy for them to certify the e-mail 
information with your BrowserID as it is specified currently, but they will 
find it easy to certify a profile page. And it seems to me that social network
tie in is a very big and interesting feature to Relying Parties.

Now if the social networking service wishes to provide proof of identity - 
social  identity in a network - then an HTTP WebID, being RESTful and linkable, 
also provides a great advantage. 

That is why I am for both options being available. WebID is quite open about
allowing both. 

Henry


Social Web Architect
http://bblfish.net/

Received on Monday, 18 July 2011 03:28:19 UTC