Identity in web3 is an ever expanding idea. To some it may be as simple as being a cute animal picture, being able to control your own data, creating a reputation on-chain, or even for having a semi-anonymous alter ego. All of this encompasses web3 identity and it will continue to evolve as we add to the meaning of identity on chain.

This all stems from a username on X, a pfp, or Ens. For me an Ens has been the best way to build a reputation on X as well as on chain. It is instantly recognizable and tied to my wallet. People can easily search me on both networks and find my portfolio, people I follow as well as anything else they would like to know connected to these accounts. 

I have been known as Dragonite.eth for just over a year now. In that time we have seen how decentralized identity has become an even more important topic. This has been brought to light with the new ownership of X and seeing people lose usernames that they have held for years to central authorities. With these recent events we can see how autonomy on centralized platforms are in question and how we need to rely on a new system that allows digital ownership without it being stripped away at any moment. With more self sovereignty in the digital age it will allow us to selectively disclose information to different platforms without revealing more than is necessary.

On top of that with my identity it allows me to connect to any new contract, platform, or application and instantly be recognized by others. The interoperability here is a key differentiator from the current landscape where you may need to create a new login for each site. With web3 identities we will have all the relevant information stored in one place. This will allow us to interact with new sites that we have not used in the past frictionlessly. The main focus here is to empower users to own and manage their digital identity as opposed to giving our data away for free and then having them sell the data to third parties.

Web3 identity is the first step to creating a new internet that is more decentralized and restores power back to the user. We still have a long way till power is transferred back but each day we continue to build and educate those on the importance of self sovereignty.