Identity

Your identity in Free Association is based on Verifiable Credentials (VCs) - portable, offline-verifiable digital proofs.

The Problem with Traditional Identity

Traditional systems require you to:

• Trust a central authority to verify who you are

• Be online to prove your identity

• Ask permission to share your credentials

The Solution: Verifiable Credentials

Think of a VC like a digital passport that:

• Works offline - No internet connection needed for verification

• Is portable - Travels with you, not locked in someone's database

• Is tamper-proof - Any modification breaks the cryptographic signature

Example: A Capacity Credential

"I, Alice, have 100 hours/month of consulting capacity available."
- Signed by: Alice's cryptographic key
- Verifiable by: Anyone, anywhere, offline

Anyone can verify this claim is authentic without asking a central authority.

How It Works (Simple Version)

1. You generate a key pair (like a password, but mathematical)

2. You sign your claims with your private key

3. Others verify your signature with your public key

Key Property: Only you can create signatures with your private key, but anyone can verify them with your public key.

What Can You Claim?

About Yourself (Reflexive)

"I need $50K for a project"
"I have 20 hours/week available"
"I prioritize education initiatives"

About Others (Relational)

"I recognize Bob's contribution at 30%"
"I endorse Carol for technical expertise"

Why This Matters

Portability: Your credentials aren't locked in one platform. You can use them anywhere.

Offline Verification: No need to call a server to verify authenticity. Works in remote areas, during disasters, or when networks are down.

Sovereignty: You control what you claim and who you share it with. No central authority can revoke or modify your credentials.

Technical Note

Under the hood, Free Association uses:

• DID (Decentralized Identifiers): Self-sovereign identity standard

• Ed25519 Signatures: Fast, secure cryptographic signing

• W3C VC Standard: Interoperable credential format

But you don't need to understand these to use the system. The interface handles the complexity.

Further Reading

• W3C Verifiable Credentials - Technical specification

• Resources - What you can declare about your capacities and needs

• Priorities - How you express what you value