End-user identity in Solid: the interoperability problem space
Author: Ruben Verborgh, SolidLab, Ghent University – imec
The Solid ecosystem uses a decentralized mechanism of WebIDs to identify agents and to manage their access control. As the number of participants in the ecosystem increases, the question of how to manage a multitude and variety of WebIDs becomes increasingly pressing. To this end, we performed an assessment of the current state of end-user identity and the demands going forward. This document examines the interoperability angle for personal identity within Solid, providing strict technical as well as looser interpretations of the WebID concept, building upon these to outline the problem space as well as directions for solutions. We discuss the necessity of a shared understanding, and describe challenges including anonymity and pseudonymity, extending the identifier space, and disambiguating different WebIDs and identity providers pertaining to the same end-users. We thereby provide a blueprint for the work needed to mature the Solid ecosystem with regard to identity.