- From: Manu Sporny <msporny@digitalbazaar.com>
- Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2022 13:12:10 -0400
- To: public-credentials@w3.org
On 3/20/22 12:21 PM, Daniel Hardman wrote: > If we standardize and promote OIDC+SIOP+VCs as the standard way for > institutions to authN/Z users in web contexts, and only for that, then I > think we suck all the wind out of the sails of a standard that would > actually correct this imbalance. Not because there's some fatal flaw in the > API, but because it's teaching the world, yet again, to treat users and > institutions unequally. Yes! Thank you, Daniel! This! +1000 Now, we should not be under the impression that people won't try and build this flawed model anyway -- there are strong economic incentives to do so -- "The infrastructure is already there! It's doing billions of interactions a day! Let's build on top of it!" I don't think there is any way that the OpenID Foundation DOES NOT go ahead with their VCs over OpenID protocol plans. Given that Tobias is leading OpenID working on this stuff, my hope is that he takes our concerns into that work... that is, if we can convince him of the dangers. :) My hope is that we all, across the various communities, also start collectively pointing toward why OpenID + VCs (as is currently designed) is dangerous to the ecosystem... but we find a way to express these as not pointing the finger at the OpenID protocol, but at design patterns that lead to power inequalities and centralization as Daniel so eloquently stated in his email. Or... the folks working on the OpenID + VCs convince some of us hold outs that what they're doing does support open wallet ecosystems... :) Finally, there are no easy answers here. CHAPI and DIDCommv2 aren't magical in their ability to combat centralization. If Issuers start demanding that wallet vendors identify themselves in transactions (another bad idea), we fall into the same trap, which is why being LOUD about what a dysfunctional centralized ecosystem looks like is crucial. This is why I'd like us to mine this thread and have a "VC Market Competition Considerations" section somewhere... it's clear that some individuals were unaware of the problem and that means we're not doing a good job in educating folks as they enter the industry. -- manu -- Manu Sporny - https://www.linkedin.com/in/manusporny/ Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc. News: Digital Bazaar Announces New Case Studies (2021) https://www.digitalbazaar.com/
Received on Sunday, 20 March 2022 17:12:27 UTC