Credentials without Identity--Race Bits

By the way, on this oftentimes off-topic issue of "bigotry" and "racism,"
here's a zinger some of you may not have thought much about. And it's
certainly related to the themes of Chaumian "credentials without identity,"
which is very much on-topic.

While it has been claimed by some that "crypto anarchy" means that race
won't matter, that cyberspace interactions will be color-blind, this is
misleading.

While many--probably most--users will care only for cyberspace personna
issues, and not meatspace personna issues of race, color, height, weight,
etc., this is not something built in to anonymous transactions.

Consider a "race credential" offered by some entity. Perhaps one goes down
to the local Aryan Nations office and gets one's genetic heritage stamped,
or down to the Kwanzaa Youth Center to be similarly stamped....

(Why some groups might want this is left as an exercise for the reader.
Perhaps a less-inflammatory example (to some of the sensitive amongst you)
might be that some women want to interact in "women only" forums--a clear
case of discrimination, no?--and may want a "gender bit" avaiable to
display as a credential.)

But, you may ask (if you are new here or haven't been following the work of
Chaum and others), won't display of such a race or gender bit compromise
one's identity or be easily forged? The simple answer is "No."

Hal Finney has written several good articles for this list about
"credentials without identity." And of course David Chaum wrote the
originals.

The canonical example is that of an "age field" in an unforgeable ID card,
granting one access to, say, a bar, without revealing identity. (This
become especially important in an age of smartcards and wide use of
cardreaders at entr points to various places...without a "credentials
without identity" system, every passage through such a portal provides too
much information to those compiling surveillance records, dossiers,
customer preference lists, etc.)

But a "race field" would allow those who wish to only communicate with
certain races to do so.

Just to set the record straight, and one reason ethnic separatist groups
are likely to become intensely interested in crypto anarchy.

--Tim May

Just say "No" to "Big Brother Inside"
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

>>>>> "Tim" == Timothy C May <tcmay@got.net> writes:

Tim> While it has been claimed by some that "crypto anarchy" means
Tim> that race won't matter, that cyberspace interactions will be
Tim> color-blind, this is misleading.

Race bits, gender bits, etc., are all interesting possibilities. I
never thought about anyone wanting to do such a thing, but I suppose
that's likely.

I've tended to think that as we become increasingly digital, issues
like race become less significant (perhaps because it generally isn't
immediately obvious in this medium). This doesn't mean that prejudices
go away, it means that they shift to stay with what is obvious. For
example, people who are unable to spell well (and don't spellcheck
email and usenet posts), or use excessively poor grammar are often
ridiculed for their lack of mastery of the language in which they're
writing. Basically, the prejudices and such continue with us, but
change, so as to remain based on things that are easily discernible.

Tim> While many--probably most--users will care only for cyberspace
Tim> personna issues, and not meatspace personna issues of race,
Tim> color, height, weight, etc., this is not something built in to
Tim> anonymous transactions.

As I'm replying, it's occurred to me that we've already got some sort
of persona "certificates" floating around now. (Such as the Geek
Code.) Imagine a field there to include race. Wouldn't take a lot to
do that, after all.

Of course, the implementation of a race bit system that can be trusted
is another issue altogether. Would the White Boyz Club then need to
have its own trusted arbitrator to introduce people of the same race
to each other? (AryanSign?) Is a more elaborate PGP-style web
of trust used? Hmm.

-- 
Matt Curtin  cmcurtin@research.megasoft.com  Megasoft, Inc   Chief Scientist
http://www.research.megasoft.com/people/cmcurtin/   I speak only for myself.
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