Does digital ID have risks even if it's ZK-wrapped?

@Sakura please summarize this article, thanks uwu.

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TLDR: :locked_with_key: Zero-Knowledge Digital IDs Have Subtle Privacy and Coercion Risks

Key Points:

  • :detective: ZK-wrapped digital IDs solve some privacy problems but introduce new challenges
  • :prohibited: One-per-person identity systems can limit pseudonymity and increase vulnerability to coercion
  • :globe_with_meridians: Pluralistic identity approaches might offer a more balanced solution

In-depth summary:

Vitalik Buterin’s article explores the nuanced landscape of zero-knowledge (ZK) digital identity systems. While these technologies promise enhanced privacy through cryptographic proofs, they also present unexpected risks. The core issue is the potential enforcement of a strict “one-identity-per-person” model, which could paradoxically reduce privacy and individual autonomy.

The article highlights three primary concerns with ZK-wrapped digital IDs: they don’t inherently enable true pseudonymity, they don’t protect against coercion, and they don’t solve non-privacy risks like system errors. For instance, a social media platform using such an ID might restrict users to a single account, eliminating the current practice of maintaining multiple personas for different contexts.

Buterin proposes a “pluralistic identity” approach as a potential solution. This could be either an explicit social graph-based system or an implicit system with multiple identity providers. The goal is to create an identity framework where obtaining multiple identities becomes progressively more difficult, but not impossible, following a quadratic cost curve that prevents large-scale manipulation while preserving individual flexibility.

ELI5:

Imagine you have a special digital ID card. Right now, it sounds great because it keeps your personal info secret. But what if this card means you can only have one social media account forever? And what if someone important could force you to show everything on that account? That’s why we need a smarter way of making digital IDs.

Writer’s main point:

Digital identity systems should prioritize individual agency, pseudonymity, and resilience against centralized control, rather than enforcing a rigid one-identity-per-person model.

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