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----
-title: "Identity between Cyberspace and Meatspace"
-date: 2020-09-09T15:00:00+02:00
-draft: true
----
-
-.. raw:: html
-
-    <figure class="header">
-    <img src="images/succulents.jpg">
-    <figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@timbennettcreative">Tim Bennett</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/">Unsplash</a></figcaption>
-    </figure> 
-
-Identity in Cyberspace
-======================
-
-..  Identity is a frequent problem
-..  Easy solutions abound
-..  Precise modelling is uncommon
-..  True identity is sensitive, hard to handle
-.. 
-..  Often, conversational features emphasized -> true identity is unnecessary
-..  Social role theory 
-..  Call to action
-
-Most computer systems that interface with humans have a concept of user identity. The data structures used for its
-storage vary, but usually one *account* corresponds to one human *user*. In many applications, the system operator tries
-to ensure that one user cannot create multiple accounts. In online social networks, astrotufing_ and trolling are easier
-to fight when limits are imposed on account creation. In online stores, fraud prevention means the store operator needs
-their customers legal identity and the operator must be able to ban offending customers. In mobile messaging systems,
-users have to be able to find each other by some identifier such as name or phone number, and this identifier has to be
-unique and hard to forge.
-
-Today, in systems that allow anyone to create an account have largely converged to require either an email address or a
-mobile phone number. Email addresses are used by systems that are less vulnerable to abuse and that are used on laptop
-or desktop computers. Mobile phone numbers are abundantly used in smartphone apps, as well as in systems more prone to
-abuse such as online social networks or ecommerce. Both are easily verified using a confirmation email or SMS.
-
-When designing or programming an online system, it is uncommon that the precise real-world semantics of accounts are
-modelled. Most computer systems use ad-hoc data models. During their creation, their programmers implicit assumptions
-about the world are encoded into these data models. Most of the time this works fine, but it does lead to significant
-blind spots that can make systems break down for a fraction of their users.
-
-Lives in Meatspace
-==================
-
-A consequence of the proliferation of phone numbers being used to identify people is that most people will not be able
-to create multiple accounts. *"That's the point!"* you might say, but while we want to prevent scammers, spammers and
-boored schoolchildren from messing with our systems, everybody else may have legitimate reasons to have more than one
-account.
-
-We can apply sociology's model of roles_ to understand this issue. In sociology, a role is the comprehensive pattern of
-rules and expectations that govern an individual's behavior corresponding to their social position. A key fact is that
-most people occupy mutliple roles. A parent may also be a company employee or a wife and perform accordingly given the
-circumstances. Systems that tie digital identity to legal personhood through the contracts behind phone numbers impede
-their users' attempts at role separation. Effects of this are e.g. that nowadays employers routinely screen applicants'
-social media accounts for unacceptable content.
-
-While this role conflict merely amounts to a minor inconvenience to most there are many to who it poses an existential
-problem. Consider an LGBT+ person living in a repressive country or a politically conservative person living in a
-very liberal city. Both have legitimate reasons to strictly separate parts of their private lives from others. For both,
-much is at stake. Yet, both will have to practically circumvent most online systems registration barriers to implement
-this separation.
-
-Trusting the User
-=================
-
-While there is no single solution to these issues, there are several possible mitigations. The first and most important
-one is to systematically think about the system's data model when creating it. Which assumptions about the real world
-are inherent in it? Are these assumptions likely to cause issues? Ad-hoc models are easily created, but hard to get rid
-of when they start causing problems.
-
-A general guideline on identity should be that hindering trolls by requiring things like phone numbers or credit card
-numbers is very likely to also be an obstacle to many entirely legitimate uses. Captchas_ or invitation links can help
-to keep out the trolls. Another approach is to limit the damage a troll can cause with things like effective moderation
-systems, reputation systems or by limiting the reach of newly created accounts.
-
-Outside of e-commerce, actually tying a digital account to a real-world identity is very rarely necessary. The value of
-a messenger app is not in the names in its contacts list, but the conversations behind these names. When two people meet
-each other on the street, their interaction is shaped by a myriad of social factors—but *not* by them showing each other
-their photo ID.
-
-Humans with their messy identities do not fit today's cyberspace well. Let's adapt cyberspace to humans, instead of
-trying it the other way around.
-
-.. _astroturfing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing
-.. _roles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role
-.. _Captchas: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/3-540-39200-9_18.pdf
-