My comment on the #mastocensus Vis mer
https://gnusocial.de/url/3066817
@vinzv @NathanHawks @schestowitz I frankly think identities should be transferrable between instances. I mean, it sort of isn't terribly relevant to me what instance my friend is on. I just want to stay in touch with my friend.
@vinzv @NathanHawks If you look at how blockchains like STEEM do identity, they basically generate your private keys in the browser with JS based on your passphrase, which the server never sees.
@NathanHawks @vinzv When you post content on Steemit, your browser signs it with your key. Mastodon is federated and more power rests in the hand of the instance owners. I always felt that instances shouldn't have more power than merely allowing you to access and submit content. Who says the instance needs to have the power to sign messages on your behalf? That's actually very old fashioned.
@vinzv @NathanHawks If an instance wanted to refuse content, it could still do that, but it wouldn't own your identity.
@NathanHawks @vinzv I feel that what many of the blockchains are doing is basically making cryptography user friendly, something the usual Internet standards process completely failed to do outside of TLS. It's about putting power in the hands of the user. There's a lot to learn from examining the technology behind something like STEEM or BitShares.