Trust is the Key to Self-Sovereign Identity

Establishing a secure and privacy-preserving identity system remains one of the most critical challenges we face. Traditional methods of identity verification, such as passwords or biometrics, are inherently flawed in terms of decentralization, as they often compromise privacy, suffer from single points of failure, or create vulnerabilities to fraud and manipulation.

Circles offers a compelling solution to this identity problem by shifting away from centralized verification systems and introducing a web of trust model. With Circles, identity is not based on a singular, centralized identifier. Instead, it is dynamically defined by the trust relationships between people in the network. 

Decentralised Trust, No Central Authorities

One of the biggest challenges is establishing identity without relying on central authorities like governments or corporations. Circles allows your identity to be verified through the people you trust. Each person issues their own personal currency (CRC) and can exchange it with others who trust them. The network of these trust relationships forms a social graph, which acts as a decentralized verification mechanism, eliminating the need for a central authority to issue and control identity credentials.

In traditional systems, personal information is often stored in databases, making it vulnerable to security breaches. Circles, on the other hand, distributes trust across a network. Only the people you trust directly need to know who you are and verify it through their interactions with you. This localized trust system ensures that your private information stays within your circle, preserving your privacy while still allowing you to participate in the wider ecosystem.

Resilience Through Social Networks

Circles’ identity model is inherently resilient because it is built on social connections. If one trust relationship breaks down, your identity within the Circles network remains intact, supported by other connections. This redundancy makes Circles more secure than single-point identity systems, where one breach can lead to widespread identity theft or manipulation. As trust is dynamic and can evolve over time, the Circles system adapts to changes in social relationships, adding another layer of flexibility and security.

Sybil attacks, where malicious actors create multiple fake identities to manipulate a system, are a significant concern in decentralized networks. Circles tackles this problem by using trust connections as a safeguard. Your ability to transact and participate in the Circles economy depends on how many trusted connections you have, making it difficult for fake accounts to infiltrate the system. Since each account's currency is only valid within its trusted network, creating multiple identities without real trust relationships becomes pointless, preventing Sybil attacks​​.

Integrating Circles with platforms that support proof-of-humanity models would extend its identity solution beyond just the Circles network. Creating opportunities for people to leverage their Circles identity across various applications whilst maintaining self-sovereignty over their identity.

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