August 2024

DIF Website | DIF Mailing Lists | Meeting Recording Archive

Table of contents

  1. Decentralized Identity Foundation News; 2. Working Group Updates; 3. Open Groups; 4. Announcements at DIF; 5. Community Events; 6. DIF Member Spotlights; 7. Get involved! Join DIF

🚀 Decentralized Identity Foundation News

Personhood Credentials

DIF is proud to announce its contribution to a groundbreaking paper on "Personhood Credentials" (PHCs), authored by researchers from prestigious institutions including OpenAI, Harvard, and MIT. This collaboration underscores the critical importance of new approaches in addressing online human-AI distinction challenges. The paper proposes PHCs as a privacy-preserving solution, with requirements aligning closely with DIF's long-standing work on Verifiable Credentials and decentralized identity standards. This recognition from leading organizations validates DIF's approach and highlights the urgent need for new approaches based on decentralized identity as AI risks grow. Read about it here.

DIF Hackathon

The Decentralized Identity Foundation (DIF) is excited to announce our groundbreaking hackathon, coinciding with Hacktoberfest in October 2024. This event aims to showcase the transformative power of decentralized identity across Education, Reusable Identity, Travel. Sponsors, challenges, and prizes – along with some exciting use case additions – will be announced soon.

This is a call for participants:

  • Who: Builders: Developers, product managers, designers
  • What: Build applications and experiences using decentralized identity standards and technologies
  • When: October 1 - November 4, 2024 

The hackathon will include informative educational sessions with leaders from the decentralized identity and tech ecosystem.

For details or to express interest, contact Limari Navarrete at limari@identity.foundation. Join us in shaping the future of decentralized identity!

DIF <> Extrimian HackAlong

DIF’s first-ever HackAlong, hosted with Extrimian, is well underway. This beginner friendly Spanish-language event consists of five one-hour sessions running through September 12. There are still more hacking sessions ahead, so it’s not too late to join. 

These workshops are focused on a use case in the Travel and Hospitality industry, demonstrating the QuarkID protocol. Participants, ranging from tech enthusiasts and web3 fans to IT students and decision-makers, will have the opportunity to create projects using Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) technologies. The events offer the chance to be featured in DIF's project gallery and win prizes. While primarily virtual, those in Buenos Aires can attend in person at the Innovation Park. 

Want to participate? Visit the Extrimian/DIF event page to learn more and secure your spot today.

DID Method Standardization Update

DIF has received overwhelming support for the cross-organizational DID Method Standardization initiative, described in the DID Method Standardization Letter of Intent (LOI), and provided key clarifications. The initiative, which is just getting started, aims for open collaboration rather than mandatory standardization. Interested parties can sign up for updates on workstreams and overall efforts. Read more about it.

🛠️ Working Group Updates

💡Identifiers and Discovery Work Group

DIF’s Identifier and Discovery Working Group has officially launched the DID Traits work item. The purpose of DID Traits is to aid implementers of W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) in selecting the most suitable identifier for their specific use cases by defining key traits that have proven to be significant. The first of these bi-weekly meetings is happening Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

  • Identifiers and Discovery meets bi-weekly at 11am PT/ 2pmET/ 8pm CET Mondays
  • DID Traits meets bi-weekly at 8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm CET Tuesdays

Claims & Credentials Working Group

The Claims & Credentials Working Group has released an initial draft of the Basic Person abstract data model. They are reviewing mechanisms to aid discovery of credential schemas more broadly, to facilitate schema reuse for implementers.

The Credential Schemas work item meets bi-weekly at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 7pm CET Tuesdays

🔐 Applied Crypto WG

The Crypto/BBS Working Group is focusing on advancing the BBS Signature Scheme through CFRG review. They are also resolving an approach to per-verifier identifiers, evaluating proof extension methods, and initiating discussions on CFRG to adopt Blind BBS and BBS per-verifier ID as working group documents.

The DIF Crypto - BBS work item meets weekly at 11am PT/2pm ET /8pm CET Mondays

📦 Secure Data Storage

The Secure Data Storage Working Group continues to make improvements to the DWN specification, including clarifications and simplifications for implementers.

Reminder: DIF now hosts the community instance of a Decentralized Web Node, powered by Google and TBD/Block. Read about it here.

DIF/CCG Secure Data Storage WG - DWN Task Force meets bi-weekly at 9am PT/12pm ET/6pm CET Wednesdays

If you are interested in participating in any of the Working Groups highlighted above, or any of DIF's other Working Groups, please join DIF.

📖 Open Groups at DIF

Veramo User Group

Upcoming Veramo releases include improvements to facilitate support of new credential formats.

Meetings take place weekly on Thursdays, alternating between Noon EST / 18.00 CET and 09.00 EST / 15.00 CET. Click here for more details

🌏 APAC/ASEAN Discussion Group

We invite everyone in the APAC region to join our monthly calls and contribute to the discussion. You will be able to find the minutes of the latest meeting here.

The DIF APAC call takes place Monthly on the 4th Thursday of the month. Please see the DIF calendar for updated timing.

🌍 DIF Africa

The DIF Africa discussion group is in the process of converting to a Special Interest Group. More details soon.

📢 Announcements at DIF

The Right To Be Visible on ID Day

As a coalition partner of ID4Africa, DIF encourages its members to celebrate The Right To Be Visible on ID Day, September 16, 2024. This date, chosen to commemorate UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, aims to promote awareness of legal identity as a fundamental human right and practical necessity in the digital age. ID Day highlights the plight of approximately 850 million people worldwide, half of whom are in Africa, who lack proof of identity. By observing this day, DIF and its partners reaffirm their commitment to achieving total inclusion and ensuring no one is left behind. Members are encouraged to visit the ID Day website for celebration ideas and resources, joining a global effort to recognize the importance of personal identity in our lives and societies.

🗓️ ️Community Events

DID:Unconf Africa

The Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking

DIF is proud to sponsor DID:UNCONF AFRICA, an Internet Identity Workshop Inspired™ OpenSpace event, taking place from September 25-27 at the Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking Afrika in Cape Town. This inaugural event aligns with DIF's Africa SIG initiatives, aiming to broaden participation in Decentralized Identity and SSI across the African continent. The conference will foster local and international exchange, promote inclusive innovation, and empower digital identity startups. Key topics include digital identity at scale in Africa, protective identity systems, and financial inclusion through digital identity. This event represents a significant step in connecting African innovators with the global digital identity community. 

Read more details or register.

Internet Identity Workshop (IIW) #39

The Fall IIW is taking place in Mountain View, California from 29 - 31 October. Book your ticket here.

IEEE Intelligent Systems ’24

DIF member Ivan Lambov is chairing a session on "Beyond the hype: exploring the real-world impact of Blockchain" at the IEEE 12th International Conference on Intelligent Systems, which takes place in Varna, Bulgaria from 29 - 31 August.

Check out the agenda and register here.

🗓️ ️DIF Member Spotlights

Lissi and the EUDI Wallet

Adrian Doerk, Chief Adoption Officer of https://lissi.id/, joined us to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet. He emphasizes the critical importance of user experience for achieving widespread adoption, highlighting key challenges such as improving credential discovery and standardizing wallet interfaces. The post also explores the progress being made through EU expert groups and Large Scale Pilots, while noting that questions remain about wallet provider business models and relying party regulations. Read more here.

2060.io and Hologram Messaging

Fabrice Rochette, CEO and co-founder of 2060.io, joined us to discuss Hologram Messaging, a Verifiable Credential wallet and messaging app that leverages DIDComm for secure, decentralized communication. He highlights how Hologram addresses key issues in current messaging platforms, including lack of true user authentication and interoperability. The post explores the app's potential for companies implementing secure chatbots, its use in reducing fraud in the telecom sector, and ongoing pilots in LATAM. Read about it here.

DIF Members in the News

👉Are you a DIF member with news to share? Email us at communication@identity.foundation with details.

New Member Orientations

If you are new to DIF join us for our upcoming new member orientations. Please subscribe to DIF’s eventbrite for upcoming notifications on orientations and events which can be found here.

🆔 Join DIF!

If you would like to get in touch with us or become a member of the DIF community, please visit our website or follow our channels:

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Read the DIF blog

New Member Orientations

If you are new to DIF join us for our upcoming new member orientations. Find more information on DIF’s slack or contact us at community@identity.foundation if you need more information.