He makes a point about global identity identifiers (OpenID, LID, i-names, etc.) being capable of allowing “cross-context reputation systems to emerge”.

I think he’s right on – and I’ve been working on some plans for one of these systems over the last few weeks.

I think a distributed system built on the DNS and existing URL-based identifiers is the key and hope to show that a subjective, individualized opinion about someone can be collectively tabulated and measured in a meaningful way. I’ve been most impressed with Dr. Windley’s work. This recent paper is something new and should generate rich discussion and inspiration.

This work is directly related to the great discussion generated at the Identity Mash-Up in Boston in June put on by the Berkman Center at Harvard. A third day open-space discussion at the MIT Media Lab named The Laws of Reputation led directly to the principles in the paper. Go OpenSpace! I was not in the room as I was fixing a bug in claimID with Brian Ellin that 45 minutes. Blasted productive OpenSpace!