Eric is getting all fin-de-siecle on us in two excellent essays: here and here.

Eric and I agree on almost everything. Our values are in sync around digital ID issues. But we disagree in one important way. Eric is convinced that digID is either going to come from the top down and be way ugly, or we’re going to take the initiative and building something that protects the rights of users first and foremost. So, Eric’s time and words are where his mouth is as he helps to craft a digID system that’ll be better than what the Big Boys are already implementing. I, on the other hand, am unconvinced that any digID system brings more benefit than risk to users. I don’t want the Big Boys’ system, that’s for sure. But I also can’t get real excited about efforts to craft a digID infrastructure whose chief virtue is that it’s less bad. (We actually have a second disagreement: Eric sees more positive good in the less-bad systems than I do.)

In sum: I want to have it both ways. I want to stand on the sidelines and say “DigID is dangerous! Boo!” and count on good-hearted, smart people like Eric to build a bulwark that’s better than what’s being foisted on us.

Categories: Uncategorized dw