Ask HN: Would you use a government digital ID to sign on to HN?

I am interested in the growth of official digital IDs that may one day replace “sign in by Facebook”

Just wondering how many people here would sign up for a government ID and use it here ?

https://github.com/eu-digital-identity-wallet

The one and only site I will use a government ID of any kind is irs.gov and their auth provider id.me (this was a one time validation). Even then I rarely log into it. If they had a physical office that was close to me I would go there instead but they are a multiple hour drive. I only use their site to verify they received my payment so they don't play dirty games again.

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realityfactchex 9 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

No, that would have a strong "damping effect" on much of the comms here.

That's for signaling/logging you "really are" someone. That has a place and can be quite useful, e.g. when that is important. I don't really think HN one of those places.

HN thrives on pseuds, for good reasons.

HN doesn't even need/use "sign in by Facebook". HN is quite simple, and it works well enough as designed.

That would be like, for OfficialProfileHackerSocial.com or something. It could work, but it would no longer be HN.

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Rotundo 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

No, absolutely not.

Unless it's to do official government business like taxes, I won't use any website requiring official digital ID.

If that means I can't use most of the internet, so be it.

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x______________ 9 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

That's a negatory.

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ticulatedspline 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

yeah, no. Also I stopped using logins like "sign in with Facebook/Google/Whatever" when I realized I don't have any real control over any of those accounts. They can be revoked on a whim with no recourse.

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downbad_ 9 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Whatever happened to privacy?

	▲	lifeisstillgood 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Well that’s mostly the argument (as I see it). As in, privacy is not secrecy. Privacy is the politeness of our neighbours, not their ignorance. Do we think people will stop being polite for cash. Of course which is why now we need (solution X/Y/Z) In general, my (personal) take is simple - if you aren’t willing to say something with your name on, don’t say it. The usual exceptions are - free speech (you are free from political consequences, just not social ones. If you live in an unfree society, tech is not the problem) - mistaking secrecy for privacy - liking anonymity because it frees us from social consequences (I am not trying to strawman anyone, and honestly interested)