Re: Unlawful Unregistered Securities, DID and VC

I have a lot of sympathy for the requirements that the registry insist on 
more "well-formed" entries, and I think it should be possible to challenge 
entries and request their removal if their main purpose is to break 
widely-recognised laws. But we're not the police, and work in an 
international context providing important records. 


On Wednesday, June 14, 2023 22:09:55 (+02:00), Melvin Carvalho wrote:






Manu, would it be feasible to consider a two-step process for the registry?

It's easy to consider. I have spent several hours on it (and wrote a few 
pages of notes as I thought).


Establish a consensus for inclusion of only legally compliant methods in 
the registry.
This is a bad idea, because we will waste massive amounts of effort on 
underinformed and expensive arguments about what it means to be legally 
compliant and on any specific case that isn't trivially obvious anyway.


I am explicitly opposed to this framing as a useful or even workable way to 
ensure we support a moral and legal set of values through our work. 


I do believe we should support such values, but I also believe that in 
practice this approach will undermine our work, without achieving the 
proposal's stated goals.
Align the current registry to reflect this new consensus.
No, since I don't think we will have consensus.

This approach may alleviate concerns that some groups in the W3C are 
indifferent to legal, specifically securities, laws.

I doubt it. But it will raise significant concerns that some groups in W3C 
are prepared to indulge in pseudo-legal argument, or to allow the use of 
pseudo-legal claims to restrict rational conversation.


As a respected entity, it's essential that the W3C adheres to all laws, 
showcasing its commitment to uphold legal standards.

No. 


There are a lot of laws. W3C should strive not to engage in illegal 
activity, and individuals likewise, especially with respect to the 
jurisdictions they are domiciled in etc etc. Because that's the law, 
because it is generally the morally right thing to do, but also in order to 
ensure our work is globally relevant.


Despite being close in wording and perhaps closer in sentiment the two 
statements can lead to different ways of working, and the details (as 
always in law) are really important.


cheers


  

-- manu

--
Manu Sporny - https://www.linkedin.com/in/manusporny/
Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
https://www.digitalbazaar.com/



-- 
Charles 'Chaals' Nevile
Lead Standards Architect, ConsenSys Inc