“The Internet was built without an identity layer.”
— Kim Cameron, Microsoft Chief Identity Architect, The Laws of Identity, May 2005
In a time of massive data breaches, most people still seem to be unclear about the consequences. We treat our privacy and data security for little convenience or save time from reading user consent. The data we give away unconsciously are used to reveal our true identities and expose us to threats; algorithms also use them to manipulate us.
The problem will never be solved for now, as the root problem is not solved, that is the lack of identity layer for the internet.
What does it mean, a (digital) identity layer? It’s something that can be used to identify each internet user. We can only know the address of the mechanism we connect to, but we don’t know who and what we connect with. This leaves enormous scope for cybercrime.
To solve this problem, we have a verification system in place. Each time we access service from a server, we will need to “login in” most of the time. The verification process varies from simple emails to your id numbers (like services of the bank). It assures everyone on the internet that most of the users are verified and not criminals.
However, this is not the best solution. First, because it’s complicated, each server requires verification, and it is always different from one to another. It is said that by 2017, the average business user need to keep track of 191 passwords. It also happens to me a lot; the accounts for most of the sites are almost not reuseable for me, as I will need to click on the “forget my password “bottom and go through the annoying verification process millions of times.
Other than the inconvenience, what’s more worrying is the high risk. Our passwords have become the honeypots for the hackers, and the truth is, no matter how many upper letters, how many &**^^$## you use in your password, it’s still frail in front of hackers.
The risk puts the future of the internet in doubt. If all the internet users don’t feel convenient and safe using it, it will limit the potential for further development. We are looking for a solution to connect, verify and build trust among users, and it’s possible with blockchain technology. I will leave this part to next week, as I will need more time to articulate the concept of “decentralized identity” and explain it in plain language.
- Pre-Raphaelite in Paris” art for art’s sake”
During a visit to the petit Palais, I’ve discovered some pre-raphaelite paintings in Paris. That was a surprise as I had never been to any expo about this group of English painters in Paris.
Founded in the time of the industrial revolution, this group of young artists believed that art should only serve one ideal: beauty. They pick their art themes from distant history: The middle ages and its legends, the bible, the fantasy of the Orient…
I’m so fascinated by pre-Raphaelite because they paid so much attention to the details without getting the artwork exaggeratedly sophisticated and abundant. It’s an outstanding balance between beauty and techniques. The wealth of details and meanings create a phycological and visual realism.
- Frida, the contradiction between love and being possessive
Speaking of Frida, all that appears in front of my eyes are colors, vivid colors rushing from different directions, just like Frida’s life.
The Movie was a success, not only because of the aesthetic cinematography but also the Flamenco music. In every memorial
the scene, the music helped a lot with the storytelling. For me, it’s not like the “songs” but like carols. The performers are not “singing” the lyrics but chanting glamorous statements about love, death, and the meaning of life.
Come back to Frida’s life. I couldn’t resonate a lot with her for her love of Diego. If to love means to possess, to commit physically, why did Frida fall in love with Diego? Or did her drag herself into the darkness of possession, jealousy and melancholy, because she couldn’t control her feelings, even she knows clearly it’s against her expectations and principles?
