What is Unique Humanity?
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“Unique Humanity” refers to the concept of verifying that a digital identity represents a real, unique human being, rather than a bot, duplicate account, or false identity. It ensures that each user in a system is genuinely a singular individual.
This system uses verifiable credentials, called "stamps," from trusted sources across web2 and web3 to prove someone's humanity without compromising privacy. These stamps are combined into a Unique Humanity Score, which is used to protect communities from Sybil attacks (where one person creates multiple fake identities to manipulate the system) and promote trust in online interactions. The score is simply the sum of the Stamp weights. The Stamp weights are set by Passport and can be viewed on the Passport Github.
In decentralized systems like those found in web3, ensuring Unique Humanity is crucial to maintaining fairness, trust, and security. Without this verification, bad actors can create multiple fake identities to manipulate processes like governance, rewards, and funding distribution.
Passport verifies Unique Humanity by:
Aggregating multiple identity signals from trusted sources, like social media profiles, government IDs, or reputation systems
Ensuring trust and security by only recognizing users with strong, credible identity verification processes
Cross-referencing user data to detect and block fake or duplicate accounts
Unique Humanity is a key defense against Sybil attacks, where malicious users create multiple fake identities to exploit the system. By verifying that each user is a real and unique human being, Passport helps ensure that Sybil attacks are minimized, creating a fairer, more secure platform.
In funding mechanisms like Gitcoin Grants, ensuring Unique Humanity is vital for fair distribution. It ensures that each vote or contribution comes from a real individual, preventing attackers from creating multiple accounts to claim a disproportionate share of funds.
Passport uses a variety of identity signals, including:
Social media connections (for example, verified LinkedIn or GitHub accounts)
Government or institutional IDs
Reputation-based systems that measure credibility over time
Proof of work or participation in decentralized communities
Passport is designed to uphold privacy while ensuring Unique Humanity. It uses decentralized, privacy-preserving technologies to verify user identity without revealing sensitive personal information. This means users can prove they are real, unique individuals without compromising their privacy.
As decentralized systems grow, they become more attractive targets for malicious actors. Unique Humanity is essential for preventing exploitation, especially in systems where resources or decision-making power are distributed based on user participation. Without it, these systems risk being gamed by bots, duplicates, or fake accounts.
In decentralized governance, ensuring that each participant is a unique human is critical. Fake or duplicate identities can distort voting outcomes and decision-making processes. Unique Humanity ensures that governance is truly representative of the community, safeguarding the integrity of votes and decisions.
Yes, Human Passport allows you to build a profile that proves your Unique Humanity by connecting multiple identity sources. This ensures that you’re recognized as a real, unique individual within decentralized ecosystems.