The SSI Orbit Podcast – Self-Sovereign Identity, Decentralization and Digital Trust

Has the self-sovereign identity (SSI) movement strayed from its original values? Are we witnessing the centralization of digital identity under the guise of decentralization? In this compelling episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Christopher Allen, a pioneering figure in cryptography, decentralized identity, and internet security. Together, they unpack the troubling trends that suggest SSI ecosystems may be drifting away from foundational principles and towards models that ultimately serve governments and corporations rather than individuals. Christopher shares his deep industry experience, from co-authoring SSL/TLS, which secures the internet today, to leading the development of decentralized identity standards. He discusses how the early promises of user empowerment in digital identity have been eroded by the realities of commercialization, government control, and the re-centralization of power. He also reflects on lessons from history—how identity systems have been weaponized in past regimes—and warns of similar risks emerging in today’s digital landscape. If you care about privacy, autonomy, and the future of digital identity, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to hear a thought-provoking discussion on whether SSI is still on the right path—or if it's time to course-correct before it’s too late.

In this engaging discussion, Steve Capell, Vice Chair of UN/CEFACT and Project Lead of the UN Transparency Protocol, dives into the pressing need for transparency in global value chains. He highlights the alarming prevalence of greenwashing, where over 50% of product claims are misleading. The conversation explores the transformative power of the UNTP, regulations like carbon border adjustments, and digital product passports. Capell also emphasizes the role of decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials in fostering trust and ensuring integrity in sustainability claims.

Darrell O'Donnell, Executive Director of the Global Acceptance Network (GAN), leads efforts to create a new trust layer for the internet. He discusses how GAN seeks to establish standardized digital identities akin to payment networks like Visa. Topics include the challenges of digital trust and governance, the potential to unify compliance frameworks across industries, and how GAN complements existing digital identity programs. O'Donnell highlights the importance of trust registries and collaborative governance to enable secure, valuable digital transactions.

Antti Kettunen, an ecosystem architect, dives into the complexities of designing decentralized digital trust environments. He emphasizes the need for holistic incentive models that focus on collaboration over mere technology. Key discussions include contrasting value chains in centralized and decentralized systems, the importance of coordinated governance, and the critical role of payment systems in user experience. With practical insights for fostering adoption, Kettunen offers a blueprint for creating ecosystems that deliver sustainable value for all stakeholders.

Are you curious about how Germany is navigating the complex landscape of digital identity wallets and interoperability? In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with guests Kristina Yasuda and Niels Klomp to explore Germany’s ambitious wallet strategy, the development of interoperability profiles, and the influence of big tech on digital identity. Kristina and Niels bring a wealth of knowledge and firsthand experience to the discussion, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of digital identity. They delve into Germany’s approach to creating a secure and user-friendly wallet infrastructure, the challenges of achieving interoperability across different systems, and how major technology companies are shaping the digital identity space. Get ready to uncover: The strategic objectives behind Germany’s wallet initiative Key considerations for developing and implementing interoperability profiles The role of big tech in driving innovation and potential risks Insights into the regulatory landscape and its impact on digital identity projects Join us for an engaging and informative conversation highlighting the complexities and opportunities within the digital identity ecosystem. Tune in to The SSI Orbit Podcast to stay ahead of the curve and gain valuable insights into the future of digital identity. Chapters: 00:00 - What wallet solutions are the German government funding, how it fits into eIDAS 2.0 11:58 - Governments x Wallets x Governance Frameworks 18:02 - Technical interop profiles from an adoption cycle lens, adoption being 27:08 - eIDAS 2.0 Personal ID adoption can happen quicker because of Org ID 30:00 - More on technical interoperability profiles: HAIP, DIIP, and the future of interop profiles 41:05 - Japanese government national ID, implications of governments issuing into Big Tech Wallets 46:00 - The Browser API for credential presentation 50:31 - Is there anything missing on top of eIDAS 2.0? 55:48 - About Presentation Exchange and its current/future roadmap in OpenID4VP

How can we establish trusted digital ecosystems while driving innovation? In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude picks the brain of Dima Postnikov, Vice Chairman at the OpenID Foundation, on a standards-based solution: OpenID Federation – a framework for enabling trust across networks. As open banking and open finance initiatives spread, a crucial need arises: secure mechanisms for managing trust between participants. Dima walks us through the genesis of OpenID Federation and its role in overcoming hurdles around trust discovery and governance. The evolution of trust management approaches across sectors like open banking Understanding OpenID Federation's intersection with verifiable credentials Leveraging standards to reduce barriers and foster interoperability Tailoring OpenID Federation for use cases like eIDAS 2.0 digital identity Unpack the keys to unlocking trusted, interoperable ecosystems that safeguard data while catalyzing innovation. Tune in to this insightful conversation now! Chapters: 00:00 - Background on trust management in the OpenID world 03:49 - Learnings in trust management from the world of Open Banking 11:58 - How trust chains complement/conflict with peer to peer interactions 17:25 - OpenID Federation’s architecture design 34:25 - The evolution of standards in Open Banking 39:50 - eIDAS 2.0 profiles of OpenID Federation? 47:47 - Why Canadian Open Banking should have Trust Registries at launch

Are you curious about how Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) has evolved over the years and where it is headed? In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Vladimir Vujovic, Head of Digital Product Management at SICPA to discuss the journey and future of SSI and decentralized identity technologies. Vladimir, with his extensive background in product management and experience in the SSI space since 2017, offers valuable insights into the technological advancements, challenges, and opportunities in this domain. From the early days of Evernym to the current state of mainstream adoption, Vladimir sheds light on the progress made and the hurdles still to be overcome. How have new credential formats and protocols impacted the industry? What role do government initiatives and large-scale pilots play in the broader adoption of SSI? Vladimir addresses these questions and more, providing a comprehensive overview of the SSI landscape. Join us as we explore the nuances of product development in the SSI space. Vladimir highlights the technical focus of digital wallet products and the need for companies to move beyond generic solutions to create value-added services tailored to specific industries. Discover the importance of making bold choices and the potential for growth in this evolving market. Chapters 00:00 - How things have evolved since Evernym’s early days in 20278:50 - Have we lost the vision of ‘Self-Sovereignty’ with an overfocus on Government ID?20:30 - Complexity of exchange interactions in identity vs payments24:10 - Evolution in thinking around building SSI-enabled products31:00 - The complexities of issuing credentials vs verifying them39:10 - How far open source goes and impacts product design45:25 - Adoption curves, horizontal vs vertical product focus51:45 - Where the technical SSI space is at today

Could digital credentials like mobile driver's licenses be the game-changer for secure and convenient identity verification?  In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Sylvia Arndt, Vice President of Business Development, Digital Identity at Thales, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) and their potential impact. Mathieu and Sylvia explore the differences between the US, Canadian, and European markets regarding mDL implementation and standards. They also delve into the legislation required to support digital driver's licenses and the role of organizations like AAMVA in providing guidance and recommendations. The conversation touches on the role of wallets in the mDL ecosystem, the potential business models for issuers and verifiers, and the importance of biometrics in identity verification. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities in the verification market and the need for governance and control in the industry. Chapters 00:00 - Status of Mobile Driving Licenses (mDL) in the US 7:00 - Why Government DMVs like the ISO standard for mobile driving licenses 9:25 - About AAMVA (the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators) 14:25 - How do governments perceive the value proposition of issuing mDLs 20:10 - General wallet strategy for DMVs in 2024 27:25 - Where are the opportunities in the mDL verification market? 41:41 - Requiring a registration process for mDL verifiers? 45:17 - Exploring possible new risk vectors that mDL introduces 50:17 - The business model for mDL issuers, and possible disruption to the IDV market

Is there truly a clear separation between personal and organizational identity? This fundamental question lies at the heart of our most recent conversation on The SSI Orbit podcast, where host Mathieu Glaude sat down with identity expert Daniel Hardman. The conversation explores the learnings and insights Hardman has gained from his extensive experience in the SSI space and the importance of the human element in the identity domain. Mathieu and Daniel discuss the limitations of the term 'governance' and propose reframing it as 'empowerment.' They also delve into organizational identity and its inextricably intertwined relationship with individual identity. The complexity of managing relationships and roles within organizations is highlighted, along with the need for clear distinctions between facets of identity. The conversation also touches on the challenges of managing identifiers and the critical importance of versioning and trust in the context of organizational identity. Hardman's exploration of the intricate relationship between personal and organizational identity underscores the significance of understanding roles, relationships, and context when managing identities. His compelling perspective challenges the current mental model that compartmentalizes personal and organizational identity, inviting a more nuanced understanding of the true nature of identity. Prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking episode as it uncovers the strategies, tools, and mindsets needed to navigate the complexities of identity management. Unlock the full potential of self-sovereign identity in both personal and enterprise settings as you delve into this intriguing conversation. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Learnings in SSI 02:27 Reframing Governance as Empowerment 07:52 The Intertangled Nature of Organizational and Individual Identity 14:12 Managing Relationships and Roles in Organizational Identity 24:32 Versioning and Trust in Organizational Identity

Empowerment tech is about tools that start and end on the customer side, helping individuals make better decisions and get things done. It aligns the incentives of both individuals and organizations, leading to healthier and more sustainable outcomes. The role of regulators is to define outcomes and ensure compliance, but empowerment tech can change how regulators think about enforcement and create more value for individuals and organizations. Open banking and open finance are key enablers of empowerment tech, allowing individuals to control and share their data with different financial institutions. The technology behind empowerment tech, such as verifiable credentials and cryptography, is crucial but needs to be complemented by business and legal considerations. The conversation explores the future of blockchain networks and platforms, the role of wallets and credentials in solving attribution problems, the potential of personal agents, and the value of data in creating AI models. It discusses the commoditization of wallets and identity, the importance of trust and business models, and the dominance of Apple and Google in data services. The conversation also touches on the evolving UI models and the impact of generational expectations. Overall, it highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to design and interaction in the digital identity space. Chapters: 00:02 Defining Empowerment Tech 02:01 Aligning Incentives Between Customers and Businesses  04:41 The Role of Regulators in Promoting Empowerment Tech  07:57 The Potential of Open Banking and Open Finance 09:39 The Rise of Personal AI Agents  16:21 Wallets, Credentials, and the Future of Digital Interactions  21:50 Platforms, Protocols, and the Economics of Empowerment Tech  28:47 Rethinking User Interfaces and Device-Centric Experiences 35:22 Generational Shifts and the Future of Digital Relationships  41:16 Building Trust Through Design and Ethics