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I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

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Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#311
It seems to me that if you let Persona verify your identity you're essentially providing data enrichment for the US government. In exchange for what? A blue tick from a feeder platform like LinkedIn, Reddit or Discord? No thanks.

On the other hand it can be hard to escape if it's for something that actually matters. Coursera is a customer. You might want your course achievements authenticated. The Canada Media Fund arranges monies for Canadian creators when their work lines up with various government sponsored DEI incentives. If you're in this world you will surely use Persona as required by them. Maybe you're applying for a trading account with Wealthsimple and have to have your ID verified. Or you want to rent a Lime Scooter and have to use them as part of the age verification process.

KYC platforms have a place. But we need legal guarantees around the use of our data. And places like Canada and Europe that are having discussions about digital sovereignty need to prioritize the creation of local alternatives.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#312
post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Remember when LinkedIn was condemned because they copied Gmail’s login page saying “Log in with Google”, then you entered your password, then they retrieved all your contacts, even the bank, the mailing lists, your ex, and spammed the hell out of them, saying things in your name in the style of “You haven’t joined in 5 days, I want you to subscribe” ?

The original version of the LinkedIn mobile app uploaded your personal contacts stored on your smart phone and SIM to their server (to also "invite" them), without requesting user permission. After that, I never installed it again (but too late), and I bought a second (non-smart) phone.

When I created an account on LinkedIn, a long time ago, I used the web. When it asked if I wanted to invite other people from my list of contacts, I clicked yes. I thought it would let me manually enter some contacts, or at worst, give me a list to choose from, with some kind of permissions prompt. Somehow, it accessed my entire Gmail contact list, and invited them all. My goodness, that was terrifying (I didn't even know it was possible) and embarrassing. Companies are not to be trusted, ever. Especially now, as they've proven for decades they have zero moral compass, and no qualms about abusing people for profit.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#313
So LinkedIn’s 1st CEO Reid Hoffman who was all up in relationships with Epstein & Bone Saw, yakking it up with monsters is the place to store your employment history? To provide a blue checkmark? To feed into copliot & be sold to AI weapons vendors & gruesome thugs like Palantir’s CEO & Chairman? Yikes.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#314
post #288

I'll note that Persona's CEO responded on LinkedIn [1] pointing out that: - No personal data processed is used for AI/model training. Data is exclusively used to confirm your identity. - All biometric personal data is deleted immediately after processing. - All other personal data processed is automatically deleted within 30 days. Data is retained during this period to help users troubleshoot. - The only subprocessor…

this is just "trust me bro" with more words. even if true, the point is not what they do right now, the point is what they CAN do, which clearly as pointed in terms is a lot more than that.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#315
post #288

I'll note that Persona's CEO responded on LinkedIn [1] pointing out that: - No personal data processed is used for AI/model training. Data is exclusively used to confirm your identity. - All biometric personal data is deleted immediately after processing. - All other personal data processed is automatically deleted within 30 days. Data is retained during this period to help users troubleshoot. - The only subprocessor…

All of which is meaningless if it's not reflected properly in their legal documents/terms. I've had interactions with the Flock CEO here on Hacker News and he also tried to reassure us that nothing fishy is/was going on. Take it with a grain of salt.

Why anyone would trust the executives at any company when they are only incentivized to lie, cheat, and steal is beyond me. It's a lesson every generation is hellbent on learning again and against and again.

It use to be the default belief, throughout all of humanity, on how greed is bad and dangerous; yet for the last 100 years you'd think the complete opposite was the norm.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#317
post #311

It seems to me that if you let Persona verify your identity you're essentially providing data enrichment for the US government. In exchange for what? A blue tick from a feeder platform like LinkedIn, Reddit or Discord? No thanks. On the other hand it can be hard to escape if it's for something that actually matters. Coursera is a customer. You might want your course achievements authenticated. The Canada Media Fund a…

> KYC platforms have a place

Yes. In hell.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#318
post #288

I'll note that Persona's CEO responded on LinkedIn [1] pointing out that: - No personal data processed is used for AI/model training. Data is exclusively used to confirm your identity. - All biometric personal data is deleted immediately after processing. - All other personal data processed is automatically deleted within 30 days. Data is retained during this period to help users troubleshoot. - The only subprocessor…

A KYC provider is a company that doesn't start with neutral trust. It starts with a huge negative trust.

Thus it is impossible to believe his words.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#320
post #29

I really appreciate this write-up. Was forced to verify to get access to a new account. Like, an interstitial page that forced verification before even basic access. Brief context for that: was being granted a salesnav licence, but to my work address with no account attached to it. Plus I had an existing salesnav trial underway on main account and didn't want to give access to that work. So I reluctantly verified wit…

Thank you for sharing this. I understand, and even agree, that how this is being handled has some pretty creepy aspects. But one thing missing from the comments I see here and elsewhere is: How else should verification be handled? We have a real problem with AI/bots online these days, trust will be at a premium. How can we try to assure it? I can think of one way: Everyone must pay to be a member (there will still be…

zero knowledge proofs, with services such as https://zkpassport.id/ (i am not affiliated)
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