Digital Identity User Experience

Continuation from post SSI: Digital Identity User Experience

One of the key pillars in understanding the possibilities that arise from sovereign digital identity involves starting from the very foundation of what identity is. We need to understand how we've dealt with identity throughout history, and particularly in recent years. Our goal shouldn't be to view technology as a continuation of the same processes, but rather to start from a blank state and build upon the sovereignty it offers.

Let's dive in:

What is Identity?

Identity is a psychological concept that refers to the characteristics and qualities that define an individual. It's a multifaceted concept encompassing factors such as values, beliefs, personality, appearance, and behaviors.

Research in psychology and neuroscience has shown that identity is a complex and dynamic process influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, environment, culture, and personal experiences.

Self-Identity

One key aspect of identity is self-identity, which pertains to how we view our unique qualities and characteristics. This includes our values, beliefs, and goals, as well as how we perceive ourselves in relation to others.

Self-identity is a complex topic. It is the only one that self-references the perception we have of ourselves, rather than the perspective of others. By this means, it could be considered the most important, even though this concept is hardly related to the others in a constant back-and-forth. How you perceive yourself and how you purposefully decide to show up in the world to others defines not just the vast majority of our daily actions but also our internal discussions and conversations that drive our lives.

Bringing this aspect to an example of our digital footprint and lives, something as simple as building your Twitter profile can illustrate it.

Social Identity

Social identity is another critical aspect of identity. It refers to how we see ourselves in relation to others and the groups we affiliate with. Our cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, as well as our gender, age, and social status, influence our social identity. The groups we belong to and the roles we play within those groups further shape it.

Identity is a crucial part of our sense of self, shaping our behavior and decision-making. It helps us define ourselves and our place in the world, enabling us to connect with others who share similar values and experiences.

Nevertheless, identity can also be a source of conflict and tension. We may struggle to reconcile different aspects of our identity, or we may face discrimination or prejudice based on our social identity. Therefore, it's essential to recognize and respect the diversity of identities within our communities and work towards creating a more inclusive and accepting society.

Identification

Identification refers to the ways individuals are recognized within a society. It encapsulates both the personal and social aspects of identity, shaped by a myriad of factors such as genetics, environment, culture, and personal experiences.

Identification involves using documents like driver's licenses and passports, as well as other forms like fingerprints and facial recognition technology. These forms of identification confirm and verify an individual's identity and are used for various purposes, including access to services and benefits, security, and law enforcement.

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Identity, therefore, is a flexible concept that depends on numerous factors and evolves over time as our lives progress. It is an abstraction that encapsulates our self-perception within the context of others' perspectives. In a utopian world of a single individual, identity would be nonsensical.

In order to digitalise the identity experience it is necessary to start from this specific point of view. As it is something that implies a network and identities more than identity.

Communities that defined the social graph of identity of each individual in a group have evolved radically.