The document outlines a W3C working group proposal for Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), which are unique, verifiable URLs designed to enhance digital identity management. It details the functionality of DIDs, their role in verifiable credentials, and the processes involved in establishing a working group. The proposal underscores the importance of decentralized identities, contrasting them with traditional web identifiers that are often leased and controlled by third parties.

1. Decentralized Identifiers
A W3C Working Group Proposal
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SSIMeetup.org15 Oct. 2018
Drummond Reed
Evernym Chief Trust Officer and
Sovrin Foundation Trustee
@drummondreed
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Manu Sporny
Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar
@manusporny

2. 1. Empower global SSI communities
2. Open to everyone interested in SSI
3. All content is shared with CC BY SA
SSIMeetup.org
Alex Preukschat @SSIMeetup @AlexPreukschat
Coordinating Node SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
SSIMeetup objectives
07 May 2018

3. Let’s start at the beginning.
Where did DIDs come from?
SSIMeetup.org
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sa/4.0/

4. SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

7. So what exactly is a DID?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

8. What is a Decentralized Identifier?
A new type of URL that is:
● globally unique,
● highly available, and
● cryptographically verifiable.
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SSIMeetup.org
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censes/by-sa/4.0/

9. What does a DID look like?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

10. What does a DID look like?
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did:example:123456789abcdefghijk
Scheme
DID Method
DID Method Specific String
did:v1:nym:BcNkgGmGEpCGSJSMPB4BvWvwVM6YeTR52BSWcZTbzU23
Example:
SSIMeetup.org
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y-sa/4.0/

11. What does a DID point to?
SSIMeetup.org
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sa/4.0/

12. DIDs Resolve to DID Documents
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{
"@context": "https://w3id.org/veres-one/v1",
"id": "did:v1:nym:DwkYwcoyUXHNkpj3whn4DgXB4fcg9gj95vKxYN2apkZD",
"authentication": [{
"type": "Ed25519SignatureAuthentication2018",
"publicKey": [{
"id": "did:v1:test:nym:DwkYwcoyUXHNkpj3whn4DgXB4fcg9gj95vKxYN2apkZD#authn-key-1",
"type": "Ed25519VerificationKey2018",
"controller": "did:v1:nym:DwkYwcoyUXHNkpj3whn4DgXB4fcg9gj95vKxYN2apkZD",
"publicKeyBase58": "DwkYwcoyUXHNkpj3whn4DgXB4fcg9gj95vKxYN2apkZD"
}]
}],
"service": [{
"type": "ExampleMessagingService2018",
"serviceEndpoint": ”https://example.com/services/messages”
}],
… more DID-specific information here …
}
1. Authentication Mechanisms
3. Service Discovery
2. Public Key Material
SSIMeetup.org
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y-sa/4.0/

13. Is blockchain technology
necessary for DIDs?

14. Microsoft Decentralized Identity white paper—https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE2DjfY

15. What role do DIDs play in
verifiable credentials?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

16. We use DIDs in Verifiable Credentials
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21did:x:123
did:x:789Professor
knows
Pat
Sam
name ageOver
namejobTitle
SSIMeetup.org
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y-sa/4.0/

17. Why is this better than the URLs or
other addresses we use today?
SSIMeetup.org
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sa/4.0/

18. Web Identifiers Today
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Domain Name System
(Identifiers are leased to individuals)
Issuer
(Website)
Government, Employer, etc.
Verifier
(Website)
Company, Bank, etc.
Holder
(Digital Wallet /
Personal Data Store)
Citizen, Employee, etc.
Issue
Credentials
Present
Credentials
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/b
y-sa/4.0/

19. Decentralized Identifiers
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Decentralized Identifiers
(Identifiers are owned by individuals)
Blockchains / DHTs
(Decentralized Ledger)
Veres One, Sovrin, Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.
Issuer
(Website)
Government, Employer, etc.
Verifier
(Website)
Company, Bank, etc.
Holder
(Digital Wallet /
Personal Data Store)
Citizen, Employee, etc.
Issue
Credentials
Present
Credentials
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/b
y-sa/4.0/

20. Where is the DID spec now?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

22. How do the different groups work at
W3C? When do you create a
Community Group? A Working Group?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

23. 23
W3C Credentials Community Group
Rebooting the Web of Trust

25. Why is there interest in creating a
DID Working Group now?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

26. W3C DID WG Proposal - Survey Results
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SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/li
censes/by-sa/4.0/

27. 27
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/li
censes/by-sa/4.0/

28. 28
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/li
censes/by-sa/4.0/

29. 29
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/li
censes/by-sa/4.0/

30. 30
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/li
censes/by-sa/4.0/

31. What is the process to create a new
W3C Working Group?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

32. Next Steps
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W3C TPAC
(Oct 2018)
DID WG Charter Vote
(Jan 2019)
W3C DID WG
(Feb 2019)
W3C Strong Auth and Identity Workshop
(Dec 10th-11th, 2018 - Redmond, WA)
SSIMeetup.org
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y-sa/4.0/

33. What is W3C TPAC?
SSIMeetup.org
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sa/4.0/

35. What else is going on that same week?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

36. 36
The Internet Identity Workshop
October 23-25, Mountain View, CA, USA

37. If developers, architects, etc. are
interesting in getting involved with this
work, what should they do?
SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/4.0/

38. Questions?
https://tinyurl.com/did-wg-proposal
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SSIMeetup.org
https://creativecommons.org/li
censes/by-sa/4.0/

39. Contact
Manu Sporny
msporny@digitalbazaar.com
Drummond Reed
drummond.reed@evernym.com
W3C Credentials CG
https://w3c-ccg.github.io/
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