Identity helps us understand a person through identifiers, which are essentially of two types: sharable and observable. Sharable identity, such as a physical or digital ID used for official purposes, is easily presented. However, observable identity, which encompasses our culture, achievements, and opinions, is only truly known by those who have interacted closely with us.

Decades ago, understanding people beyond our immediate surroundings wasn’t as necessary. Media like newspapers informed us about celebrities and politicians. Yet, as we connect globally without personal acquaintance, there’s a risk of misunderstanding others. Our current sharable identities offer little insight, and there’s no easy way to verify someone’s official ID digitally. Trust online is often based on easily replicable elements like email IDs or KYC processes, where data isn’t shared with users.

The challenge extends beyond mitigating risky transactions; it’s about not overlooking potential global talent due to a lack of trust. Thus, maintaining trust is crucial.

Traditional identity has been about distinguishing individuals. A new form of identity must also meet this need while addressing the limitations of traditional IDs.

Problems with Traditional ID:

  • Geographically Restrictive: Limited by specific locations and not accepted globally.
  • Revealing: Shares too much personal information, such as home addresses and family details.
  • Unchanging: Remains constant from birth to death, not reflecting personal growth or changes.
  • Easily Duplicated: Prone to being copied and misused.
  • Narrowly Focused: Does not capture a person’s talents, experiences, or achievement. Primarily used for legal identification rather than understanding someone’s essence.
  • Ineffective Online: Offers no value in digital interactions or when trying to understand someone newly met online.

Changing our shareable identities can help us see ourselves and others differently. By sharing more than just basic info, like our skills and experiences, we can understand each other better. This new way of looking at identity can lead to stronger connections and more trust, whether we’re meeting in-person or online. It’s a chance to appreciate what makes each person unique and to find new ways to work together.

When we find something interesting online, figuring out who made it and learning about them can be hard. Online platforms are oriented more around content than people behind the content. We might see a username or some hobbies, but not much else. People often use different accounts on different sites, so it’s tough to get the full picture of someone from just one place.

Privacy is another big reason it’s hard to know more about online creators. Some people choose to keep their identity hidden or use pseudonyms, making it even harder to connect with them beyond their content.

Having a digital identity that shares more about us across the internet could help. If people could safely share more about their skills, experiences, and stories online, we could feel closer to the people behind the posts. This could make online spaces more human and connected.