Consider also the utility of a weaker technology: Succinct Non-interactive Arguments of Knowledge. Theses can be ZK, but even if not they can take an expensive verification, like a hundreds-wide multisignature, and make it cheap.
A quick look at zero-knowledge proofs
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Re: A quick look at zero-knowledge proofs
#52Zcash make a significant contro to ZKPs though, what would be the state without their tec? Did their advancements have any other implications besides cryptocurrency?
I believe the main one right now is digital identities.
https://www.w3.org/reports/identity-web-impact/
Classic use cases would be like 1) show that you have a national id (like a passport) without revealing which one, 2) show that you are >= 18 without revealing your date of birth. More generally, assuming you have digital credentials with metadata, pretty much any statement can be proved in ZK (relatively efficiently, especially if the digital id is designed to be ZK friendly).
Re: A quick look at zero-knowledge proofs
#53I don't think ZKPs / programmable cryptography are useless like some of the other commenters. But I do remember being surprised, based on the way that people talk about building on top of it, to learn that the performance is so bad (except on dedicated servers) that it's basically a theoretical technology until that's fixed. Has this changed recently? Not a rhetorical question.
Aren't several cryptocurrencies built on ZKPs? Their business model aside, ZKPs do look like one of the rare examples of theoretical elegance and real world use (even if not widespread).
Re: A quick look at zero-knowledge proofs
#54Earlier quoted context omitted.
But it’s not working that way, there is a third party like attestation that provides the data to client to generate zk proof
Then just ask the third party?
You can. For example for verifying enough funds the immigration office could ask the bank itself. But it also adds additional problem, such that without users concern they can do anything. Even if it’s solved with papers and users signature it’s more slower. With zk proof you can optimize immigration from third world country to the first world country with a single online application.
Or you can make it for remote programming job. Create a zk proof of codes he has worked on. And apply to HR so hr doesnt have to waste time on due diligence or mess with nda to look at private code base, few devs have public code. Zk makes, cross institute as an online service more efficient.