Last month, Rarimo launched the much-awaited Proof-of–Humanity plug-in. This month, instead of an August newsletter, we delve into our learnings from the launch and share our insights on the digital identity space and the blockchain-AI intersection.
Proof-of-Humanity Outline
Last month Rarimo launched its Proof-of-Humanity (POH) plug-in, partnering with four of the biggest identity providers in the space: Worldcoin; Unstoppable Domains; Gitcoin Passport; and Civic to become the world’s first aggregator for Web3 identities.
The plug-in allows dApps to filter out bots and ensure that only verified humans are using their services. By aggregating identity providers, Rarimo enables these dApps to automatically integrate with a range of providers rather than spend time and resources partnering with each one. Aggregation also allows users to opt for the provider — and the verification method — of their choice. Crucially, the plug-in uses Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) to preserve user privacy and ensure that no information, other than the fact that they are human is revealed.
You can read more in the Rarimo Blog about why this optionality prevents a power imbalance between identity providers and users, and why, in the words of Vitalik, Proof-of-Humanity is ‘one of the most valuable gadgets’ of this epoch. In this newsletter, however, we focus less on whys, and explore the hows. How has the plug-in been used so far? How has it impacted the community? And, how can we learn from these findings about the broader identity space?
Integrations
Rarimo’s POH plug-in launched on community-building platform Galxe, and on Decentraland via DCL Curations, a virtual library that rewards users for completing educational exercises. Since then, it will also become available on QuestN and Zealy.
Rarimo will also integrate the POH plug-in with RariMe — a Rarimo enabled MetaMask Snap that allows the wallet’s 100 million users to store and manage identity credentials alongside their crypto.
RariMe introduces an entirely new identity function to MetaMask, and its integration with the POH plug-in marks the first end-to-end flow for its users. All credentials held in RariMe can be used to generate the proofs that verify the user’s humanity to Galxe, QuestN, Zealy and Decentraland.
To learn more about RariMe, the Rarimo Blog can once again provide. Read here to find out how storing digital assets and identities in a single location revolutionises the user experience and allows Web3 identities to compete with those in Web2. To install RariMe click here.
Community
In the first week since the POH solution launched, over 2,000 users participated and 700 of them have generated a Proof-of-Humanity in order to complete Rarimo’s quest on Galxe and experience in Decentraland.
These users all received a 30% discount on Unstoppable Domain purchases, and were automatically entered into a raffle which granted 5 winners with $250 each.
Decentraland users all received a free Rarimo wearable, and were invited to attend a promotional event where virtual artist DJ Trax played a set. For two weeks, Rarimo advertised the Proof-of-Humanity solution and the DCL Curations course on MetaViu billboards throughout Decentraland.
The course, which is still available, contains four short, video-based modules on:
- What is Web3 Social Identity and the Decentralized Social Layer? (Part One)
- What is Web3 Social Identity and the Decentralized Social Layer? (Part Two)
- What is Rarimo and Why is it Important?
- What is the Proof-of-Humanity Credential?
Despite being at the core of so many of Web3’s most exciting emerging use cases, the intricacies of digital social identities are not widely understood. Rarimo’s DCL course is designed to change this and provide high-quality educational content on the broader decentralized social ecosystem.
Identity Ecosystem Takeaways
Following the advent of AI-generated bots, many of Rarimo’s contributors were plagued by nightmarish visions of an internet oversaturated with Autonomous agents who cannot be identified as human or machine. This makes sense; Rarimo is a protocol focused on digital identities. Before the launch of the POH plug-in however, we were unsure whether this threat was felt as acutely outside of the space.
The response to the launch has shown this threat is extremely widely felt. Rarify Labs who led on outreach, partnerships, and press found that not only were concerns common, but so too was an awareness of blockchain as a potential solution to AI. If AI makes the internet less trustworthy, blockchain with its core qualities of transparency and traceability can make it more trustworthy. Meanwhile, zero-knowledge cryptography allows this trust to sit alongside privacy. Press featuring Rarimo and the complementary relationship between blockchain and AI can be read in these; The Block (1), Investing Cube, Crowdfund Insider, and The Block (2) articles, and listened to on the Crypto Hipster podcast.
Rarify Labs also discovered, however, that awareness around how our online behaviour can feed into or become an identity was low. With most users still accustomed to the walled gardens of Web2 where owning or porting data and accounts is unheard of, the idea that activity on one platform or with one provider can be leveraged elsewhere — for instance as a Proof-of-Humanity — was exciting but novel. In response to this Rarimo plans to amplify its educational efforts, encouraging developers and users to build and engage with dApps that push the boundaries of digital identity.
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