My resolution for 2005? Develop an accurate and well grounded assessment of the economic impact of digital identity.
As far as I can tell there is more than enough academic think tank brainpower being devoted to the discussion of what shape and form a universal identity system will/should take. Kim Cameron, Doc Searls, Craig Burton, et al. dish the topic daily. Mr. Cameron is currently in the process of constituting the 7 laws of identity (he's now up to law #5). The laws are a generous endeavor . They help order the conversation of digital identity by articulating many of the signifcant implications and concerns that must be accounted for in whatever architecture evolves to address universal identity. I do hope 1 of the 2 yet to be unveiled laws address the economics of digital identity - I am afraid that without some consideration for where the money comes and goes, any discussion of digital identity will be constrained to the ivory tower. Identity should not become the space program of the virtual world (i.e. an underfunded, deeply philosophical, sometimes newsworthy, often marginalized, exploratory adventure).
Identity represents a broad set of significant economic opportunities, we need to get better at explaining that to the businesspeople who will ultimately fund the universal identity system in terms they can understand - distinctions like revenue, profit, value, etc. need to be a part of the digtial identity conversation.
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