Getting Involved in
Creating the Identity Commons

The Identity Commons is created by individuals and institutions seeing an opportunity and acting on it.  There is no preset strategy to which anyone has to conform.  There are just a set of agreements about how we are all going to interact with each other and make decisions together.  So the number of ways to become involved is bounded only by your imagination, and your willingness to act in a trustworthy manner.

Of course, some of us have already been doing some imagining!  It revolves around using the OASIS XDI protocols, as described in the initial implementation section, as the basis of an Internet-wide identity and trusted data sharing system.  We see many opportunities for:

• Software developers who want to write common code and applications based on these protocols.  We have an emphasis on producing code under open source licenses, but if you become a member of the Commons, there will be additional ownership and copyright options developed along the way.  You can take a lead in creating those new options.

• Corporations that have code that they would like to make widely available, but for whom simply making this code "open source" may not be enough. Contributing the copyright to the Identity Commons immediately provides at least one further level of assurance -- a set of fiduciaries who are committed to supporting the long-term purpose of the contribution. If you want to develop a more restricted license, that is possible, too -- all the way to creating a related corporation that can have very strong licensing agreements, backed by a membership contract.

• I-brokers, to offer i-name accounts and other services to individuals and institutions.  For those interested offering globally identifiable i-names, it might be easier to link up through XDI.ORG rather than directly through the Identity Commons.  But it really doesn't matter much. Either way, you are part of the same community with the same rights and responsibility for self-determination, self-organization, and self-governance. 

• Corporate software collaborations or standards bodies that want to have a better way to link to each other and to a growing community of software developers.  Take a good look at the fundamental provisions, and see if this is the direction that you are already trying to head.  If so, then becoming a related corporation puts you right in the thick of things.  If you want to be a little more cautious, then just become a member and begin organizing with others to find new pathways for collaboration.

• Data owners who want to help develop the kind of data sharing agreements that really represent the spirit of this community.  We are sure that there will be more than one "right answer" for this.  And we are sure that having the full participation of data owners in the governance of the Commons will be essential to its long term success.

• Investors are needed who see value in the financial or social potential of this network.  Already we have received social investments through nonprofit organizations that resonate with our purpose and its broad public benefit. We are also developing ways for conventional investors to receive a reasonable return, and under terms that are consistent with the principles of a Commons.  Investors that see both values would be best of all.

We already are aware of people and organizations that want to participate in more than one of these ways.  This can only strengthen the system as a whole.  And the above list is just what our current imagination has brought to mind.  We expect that the ways to participate will accelerate right along with the number of participants.  As always, more is merrier!

Conclusion

We hope that this has helped clarify why we are so excited with the potential of the Identity Commons, and why we are so committed to seeing it succeed.  We can't do it by ourselves, of course.  We can't even do it with everyone that is likely to read this article.  The vision is big.  The challenges are bigger.  And the range of people that will need to become involved is biggest of all. 

We hope that you will join us. We hope that your joining will attract others. And we hope that this process continues until we truly have a system we all feel we can trust to assert our identity, share our data, and protect our rights.

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