How DIDs are Transforming Web3
Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) are rapidly becoming a critical component of Web3, creating a new paradigm where individuals choose how to present themselves to the digital world while keeping their data out of the hands of third parties.
In this article, we’ll explore how DIDs are transforming Web3 and how MetaBlox is using them to create a more secure, transparent, and user-oriented internet.
What is a DID?
People and organizations use IDs to prove their identity to a given party so they can access some service, place, or product offered by that party.
Decentralized identifiers (DIDs) are a way to uniquely identify individuals or organizations in a decentralized manner. Verifying your identity in a decentralized manner means that no single authority confirms your ID, but that a group of authenticators following a specific set of rules reaches a consensus to confirm your ID.
More specifically, DIDs are typically verified by a group of blockchain nodes following a given protocol, so DID data is not stored by any single entity, but distributed on a blockchain, while only the holder can access the full credential with a private key.
Maximum Data Security
Decentralized ID authentication thus greatly decreases the chances of identity theft, fraud, or data collection by rogue actors or central authorities, because an entire blockchain network must work together and agree on the authenticity of your ID, while only the holder can access the full credential. So for example, to login to your bank account using a DID, the verifying nodes would have to each verify different parts of your credential and then reach a consensus on each.
Customizability and Privacy Protection
Individuals and organizations can also use DIDs to select how they represent themselves online, while different DIDs can be created to present different aspects of one’s online identity to different parties, depending on the nature of the given authorizations.
Moreover DIDs provide an ideal on-chain privacy protection mechanism since they can replace users’ wallet addresses on the public ledger to identify transactions. Since DIDs are encryptions of users’ identities, they will not expose any info when users’ on-chain activities are recorded on the ledger.
A More Seamless and Interoperable Credential
While the above benefits relate to privacy and security, three other aspects of DIDs help them deliver more seamless identity management and authentication experiences:
- Interoperability: Different organizations and entities can verify the same DIDs, so users can deploy the same credential to access various services and places. The same DIDs can also be used on different blockchains.
- Machine-readability: DIDs do not need to be presented to humans for verification, even to access in-person services or places.
- Automation: DIDs can be automatically verified whenever a DID-enabled device comes within range of a verifying node, without the need for any manual inputs.
These aspects of DIDs let users access their accounts and other services in a much more seamless way, without the need to enter login info or even, in some cases, take out their device.
For instance, a DID used to access one’s medical records could be authenticated automatically when the holder comes within range of a verifying node in their doctor’s office. The holder could also use the same DID at the dentist, while a different one as a login credential for Web3 apps.
6 reasons Why Decentralized Identities are the Key to Web3
With the basics of DIDs now established, below are some further examples of how they are being used in Web3:
- Authentication and Authorization: DIDs can be used for authentications, to authorize access to different applications and services, without the need for a centralized authority to manage and verify identities.
- Decentralized Finance: Decentralized identities can be used as a means of identity verification for access to financial services in DeFi. For instance, they are being used by crypto payment gateways to identify transactions.
- Self-Sovereign Identity: DIDs enable individuals to take control of their own identity and personal information, rather than having it managed by centralized organizations.
- Access Control: DIDs can be used as a means of granting and revoking access to data and resources based on an individual’s verified identity.
- Interoperability: Decentralized identities can be used across different blockchain networks and applications.
- Mining opportunities: Since DIDs are verified by blockchain nodes, the work they carry out to verify these credentials can result in a mining process for token yields.
MetaBlox’s User-Built Global WiFi Network
The DID is especially helpful for the development of Web3 since it can be used as a credential for accessing networks in a decentralized way (e.g through on-chain verification). MetaBlox is using DIDs as access credentials to its global, decentralized WiFi network. This network consists of many local WiFi networks integrated through OpenRoaming.
OpenRoaming allows for automatic connections to be established even when switching to a new network from a different provider — effectivelly enabling a global roaming network. At the same time, the DID offers a Web3-native credential that can be used to access OpenRoaming WiFi.
All routers providing connections to MetaBlox’s OpenRoaming network function as blockchain nodes that verify DIDs on the backend. This on-chain verification thus allows for automatic and decentralized WiFi connections whenever a DID-equipped devices comes within range of a participating router. When a user moves closer to another router, their device will automatically switch connections.
How To Get Started
Users create a DID on the MetaBlox app, and subsequently enjoy automatic WiFi connections at millions of access points worldwide. All connections are provided by routers that verify DID credentials, functioning as blockchain nodes.
This global network provides continuous, password-free connectivity across access points while protecting users with enterprise-level security, and while keeping users’ information out of ISPs databases.
It also provides GameFi and Metaverse applications with the seamless connectivity required to develop and attract new users, as high-bandwidth and location-based dApps require strong and continuous coverage, especially when VR or AR is involved.
WiFi Mining
MetaBlox routers verify DIDs to establish WiFi connections, but they also mine tokens for doing this on-chain work. Anyone can purchase and deploy a Metablox miner to enjoy enterprise-level WiFi while collecting mPoint yields. These points will become convertible to MetaBlox tokens (ROAM) after the project’s token listing in 2024. The more WiFi connections one establishes, the more points it produces.
Everyday users thus get a chance to deploy and claim the value created by WiFi services while also maintaining sovereignty over their online identity.
Network users can also claim M Points by validating MetaBlox routers with a simple tap on the MetaBlox app:
This network validation mining process ensures that all nodes meet MetaBlox’s performance and security standards, helping maintain the network for all its users.
MetaBlox’s global WiFi network currently has nodes deployed in 4 continents including Europe, Asia, and North America, with more being added everyday.
Web3’s Native Credential Type
DIDs represent a significant step forward in the development of Web3, the next generation of the internet. With these credentials, users get greater control and ownership over their identity, while identity providers and verifiers can be decentralized, making identity management and authentication more secure and private.
MetaBlox’s global, decentralized WiFi network is just one impressive application for DIDs, offering mining opportunities, improved user experiences, and, overall, a more equitable model of internet infrastructure and deployment.
Stay tuned on MetaBlox’s community and social media channels for updates as Web3’s WiFi network continues to grow!
