Session Date/Time: 24 Jul 2024 16:30

dinrg

Summary

The Decentralized Internet Research Group (DINRG) meeting focused on understanding and addressing centralization, consolidation, and fragmentation of the internet. The meeting included presentations on decentralized identifiers (DIDs), DNS-based identities, centralization trends, and the Solid project, followed by a panel discussion on the driving factors of centralization, potential responses, and future directions for the DINRG.

Key Discussion Points

Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs): Discussion on the architecture, use cases, and governance of DIDs, verifiable credentials, and related exchange protocols.
DNS-based Identities: Presentation on the use of DNS for managing identities, particularly in IoT environments, and a new TLS extension for indicating DNS-based identities.
Centralization Trends: Exploration of the economic and technical drivers of centralization, the role of Moore's Law, and the potential for regulatory interventions.
Solid Project: Overview of the Solid project, which aims to separate identity, storage, and applications, enabling user-centric data control and data supply chains.
Fragmentation: Discussion of various definitions of internet fragmentation and its implications for network stability and openness.
Responding to Centralization: Examination of potential responses to centralization, including regulatory interventions, decentralized applications, and the role of the IETF.
The Role of Human Rights: Discussion on the importance of empowering users with legal control over their data through licensing and cryptographic signatures to prevent misuse by centralized entities.

Decisions and Action Items

Explore Collaboration with ITU: Consider collaborating with Study Group 3 in the ITU to gain a better understanding of regulatory perspectives on centralization.
Study Theory of Harm (TOH): Further research and study of the Theory of Harm as a tool for regulatory intervention in addressing anti-competitive behavior.

Next Steps

DINRG chairs to synthesize the discussions and formulate a list of key issues and a more structured agenda for future work.
Share any relevant reports or information on the DINRG mailing list, including the report from the workshop organized by Chitala.
Continue the discussion at the upcoming Kronin workshop to have a more in-depth conversation on identified topics.