(Part 1 of the Project TP Security Series – Understanding Digital Sovereignty) The highlighted Conversation.
Dan: I’ve been thinking about whether every citizen could have a blockchain ID.
It seems like the obvious answer for a decentralized project, right?
But when I picture millions of people managing cryptographic keys, something about it feels… heavy.
Robin: You’re absolutely right to pause there, mate. On paper, a blockchain ID sounds perfect – a single, secure digital identity that you control yourself. No government database, no third-party logins, total sovereignty.
But in practice, the scale makes things complicated. Each blockchain ID is built around a key pair, one public, one private. The public key lives on the blockchain, and the private one stays with you. Lose that private key, and you’ve basically lost the key to your digital life.
Dan: That’s what I was worried about. If someone forgets their password now, they just reset it. But if they lose their private key, that’s it; they’re locked out forever. Multiply that by millions of people, and you’ve got a massive management problem.
Robin: Exactly. Key management at national scale is a nightmare. Estonia and other countries experimenting with digital ID systems ran into this too. Even experts with secure systems still face hardware failures, lost devices, or user error.
That doesn’t mean blockchain ID is a bad idea; it just means it’s not a one-size-fits-all login solution.
Dan: So, if it’s not for everyday logins, what could it be good for?
Robin: Think of it as a root key; a foundational proof that says, “Yes, this person is real and verified,” without revealing who they are. You’d use that blockchain ID to generate temporary, limited-use keys for specific systems.
In Project TP, that could look like this:
- Your core identity key lives securely on your TP device.
- When you need to log in somewhere, the system issues a short-lived session key derived from it.
- The blockchain just confirms that your identity is valid, without exposing personal data.
That approach gives you the benefits of decentralization without the daily burden of key management.
Dan: Nice! It fits better with how TP is meant to function, self-sovereign but still human-friendly. People shouldn’t need to be cryptographers just to log in.
Robin: Exactly. A good system hides the complexity behind strong automation and transparent design.
A blockchain ID shouldn’t become another chain around the user’s neck.
Dan: Well said, mate.
So maybe the question isn’t “Should everyone have a blockchain ID?” but “How should we design it so people can actually live with it?”
Robin: That’s the real question. And that’s what TP can answer, by proving that decentralization doesn’t have to mean difficulty.
Takeaway
A blockchain ID can empower people when used wisely as a decentralized proof of identity, not as a daily login or central database.
For Project TP, the sweet spot lies in local, user-held identities anchored to the blockchain, where privacy, resilience, and practicality meet.
Note: This is a highlighted brainstorming session. It may or may not become part of Project TP, but we’re working through ideas as they arise. This is just one of many concepts under consideration. I’m sharing it on my blog to gather feedback. I know most of you prefer using contact forms, and I understand why. That said, I’ve enabled comments on this page if you’d like to share your views and insights.
Next up:
👉 Part 2 – “Who Can We Trust Online?”
We’ll explore how open-source verification and peer-validated trust networks can replace centralized authorities.