> these "fully decentralized" identity schemes ... inevitably are a cryptocurrency with extra functionality duct taped to the side. I've not actually used Brig

> these "fully decentralized" identity schemes ... inevitably are a cryptocurrency with extra functionality duct taped to the side. I've not actually used BrightID[0], but my understanding is that you can use it without needing to buy any of their tokens. So it's more like a web-of-trust identity scheme with a cryptocurrency duct taped to the side. (Also I think that buying cryptocurrency without relying on a government-regulated business is probably more common than you're suggesting). > if their email account is broken into and the private key gets into someone else's hands This is the same problem that all existing social networks (and probably some government services in some countries) are already vulnerable to. I think a decentralised social network can offer meaningful improvements in user freedom and privacy without also solving every other online/computer security problem in the world. > starting a whole new online life In the case of BrightID, you can set up "social recovery"[1] which uses the social graph to allow you to regain access to your account. [0] https://www.brightid.org/ https://www.brightid.org/ [1] https://brightid.gitbook.io/brightid/setting-up-social-recovery https://brightid.gitbook.io/brightid/setting-up-social-recov...