Microsoft, blockchain and universal ids
In
its announcement confirming its position as a founding member of the ID2020 Alliance Microsoft shared that it, developers and Alliance partners would be collaborating on a blockchain-based, open source identity system. This system would allow interoperability of people, apps, products and services across cloud providers, other blockchains and organizations.
Microsoft's goal is to help establish universal and scalable standards for these decentralized digital identities using blockchain technology. In a blockchain information exists as a shared database that is consistently reconciled. Blockchain data doesn't exist in a centralized location but is hosted on millions of computers across the internet. The Alliance is using this secure and virtually "unhackable" system to create a decentralized identity framework for the world's population.
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If the Alliance's goal is a globally recognized
digital identity for everyone from birth to death, will that become a global mandate? How will it be enforced and by whom? What happens to those individuals who are unwilling to participate? Will they be persecuted? And how will the implementation of identification evolve with technology beyond smartphones? Will wearables, implant's
like those being used in Swedish subways or some form of
digital tattoo become the norm?
As more and more transactions become digital in nature and are built around a single global identification standard, supported by Microsoft, the question of who will govern this evolving global community and economy becomes relevant. Especially since nonparticipants in this system would be unable to buy or sell goods or services.
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