Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

I'm going to note that I don't agree with Worldcoin (nor crypto currency in general) - just that this is an issue that WorldCoin was trying to resolve with biometrics.

Government issued ID cards are forgeable and states not too difficult to get officially (the classic example of a spy with four different identities). For that matter, multiple different forms of identification can complicate the matter. Consider https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification - I have a passport, I have a drivers license. There are individuals who have both of those identifications and a Tribal Nation identity card and a Veteran Health Identification Card too. Four different forms of ID for the same person - can those each be used once?

I believe that Worldcoin is/was an attempt to solve some great societal issues with crypto currency tooling ... and is going to end up with many other ideas of how to solve social problems with technology in a "nope, that doesn't work" pile. Scanning eyeballs is an attempt to have one person to one identity - which may work, but it doesn't solve the related practical problems of distributing aid.



> I have a passport, I have a drivers license. There are individuals who have both of those identifications and a Tribal Nation identity card and a Veteran Health Identification Card too. Four different forms of ID for the same person - can those each be used once?

The point of government ID is that you have a complete government registry of allowed people, and ID cards are used to prove your association to that registry. For example, when I go to vote, there is a master list of everyone who is eligible to vote, and my name gets checked off the list. If I tried to vote again, well, my name is already checked off the list and I don't get to vote again because of that.

Or put differently, proof of identity isn't the same of proof authorization. ID cards prove identity; some other mechanism needs to prove authority to access the resource, and if necessary, it's that mechanism that prevents repeat access.


There's no need for ID for that use, either, no matter what the UK government claims.

A list of voters, and when someone comes in you cross their name off the list. If it turns out they were lying, you'll find out when the actual voter turns up.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: