I've been having an intellectually fascinating time diving into Internet fragmentation and how it is shaped by supply chains more than protocols. There’s another bottleneck ahead, though, one that’s even harder to reroute: people. Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It requires human talent that builds systems and sets standards. The post The People Problem: How Demographics Decide the Future of the Internet appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
I had one of those chance airplane conversations recently—the kind that sticks in your mind longer than the flight itself. My seatmate was reading a book about artificial intelligence, and at one point they described the idea of an “infinitely growing AI.” I couldn’t help but giggle a bit. The post Why Tech Supply Chains, Not Protocols, Set the Limits on AI and the Internet appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Once upon a time, digital systems were built around a beautifully simple idea: one user, one identity, one device, one intent. That model worked, for some value of "worked." Mostly, it was good enough to solve 80% of the use cases. The post Delegation in a Multi-Actor World: It’s Not Just OAuth Anymore appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
MCP is 'an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context to LLMs.' If we’re moving toward a world where AIs are expected to do All The Things, interfacing with our applications and services, then having a universal adapter that lets AIs talk to everything is undeniably powerful. The post The MCP Bandwagon appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Most digital systems were built around a simple model: one user, one identity, one device, one intent. If you need more than that, that's what password sharing is for, right? (Note: that was sarcasm.) Who needs delegation? Reality, which has definitely included sharing passwords, has always been messier. The post Acting on Behalf of Others: Delegation, Consent, and Messy Reality appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Welcome to A Digital Identity Digest, an audio companion to my weekly blog. This podcast provides summaries of timely identity policy, AI, and internet topics, about what’s changing and why it matters. Join me each week for new episodes. The post Trailer appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
For a long time, logging into a website was (perhaps still is) a bit of a mess. There’s definitely been many efforts to fix it, and though OAuth buttons and SSO integrations tried to clean things up, under the hood, “Sign in with…” is mostly a best-effort dance. You can authenticate a user, maybe even Continue Reading The post Web Payments and Digital Identity are Having a Moment appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Not that long ago, non-human identities (NHIs) were governed by neglect; provisioned manually, tied to a cron job or batch script, maybe mentioned in a change ticket, and rarely touched again. No formal lifecycle, no regular reviews, and certainly no clear ownership. If you remembered to rotate the password once a year, you were ahead Continue Reading The post Who Owns the Bots? Rethinking Governance for Non-Human Identities appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
When we talk about introspection in digital identity, we’re not just talking about what happens in OAuth 2.0. Yes, there’s a token introspection spec, but this post is about something broader: the idea that platforms—especially browsers—can inspect and influence the identity data being exchanged. Is that a good thing? Apple and Google disagree on just Continue Reading The post Is Introspection a Bug or a Feature? appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
The open standards development process, whether at the IETF, W3C, or OpenID Foundation, has always been a balancing act. While politics inevitably plays a role (where there are people, there are politics), technology has historically held at least an equal seat at the table. At least, it did. With shifting geopolitical priorities and radical changes Continue Reading The post The Future of Open Standards: Politics, Sovereignty, and the Role of SDOs appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
One of the areas I’m tracking from my usual standards’ perspective is how we set up guardrails for AI—how we contain its risks while still allowing the world to benefit from its utility. This challenge provides an excellent case study in the limitations of technical standards and where policy must step in to complement them. Continue Reading The post The Boundaries Between Standards and Policy: AI Training as a Case Study appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
tl;dr: Traditional identity federation has enabled digital identity with centralized, third-party logins, for decades. Its limitations in security and user control, however, are becoming a problem, especially when there are alternatives being developed. Digital credentials offer a decentralized, user-empowering alternative that enhances privacy and enables offline authentication. We’re looking at a brave new world with Continue Reading The post Digital Credentials vs. Traditional Federation...| Spherical Cow Consulting
What if fraud prevention was, you know, a shared effort? That’s where the Shared Signals Framework (SSF) comes in! The idea behind shared signals is simple: instead of each company detecting threats on its own, organizations (or systems within an organization) can share security events—like compromised credentials or suspicious logins—in real-time. The SSF, developed by Continue Reading The post Shared Signals: Who Pays the Price for Stronger Identity? appeared first on Spherical Cow Co...| Spherical Cow Consulting
The irony with urgently questioning how to tell whether something is an AI or a person is the fact that we’re struggling just as much to distinguish humans from… well, other humans. This is, in fact, not a new problem at all. After writing about the AI vs Human issue in a previous post, I’m Continue Reading The post What AI Agents Can Teach Us About Fraud in Consumer Identity appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Imagine being able to prove you’re old enough to buy a drink without flashing your ID—or proving you have insurance without handing over your policy details. Sounds like magic? It’s just math. Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) might be the biggest leap for privacy since encryption, but they also come with serious challenges. Let’s talk about the Continue Reading The post Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Privacy, Innovation, and Equity appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Agentic AI is changing authentication faster than our identity models can keep up. We’ve built systems assuming users are human, but what happens when an AI agent, not the user, needs to authenticate on their behalf? Our current identity frameworks weren’t designed for this, and the gaps are starting to show. 🎙 Audio Blog If Continue Reading The post Agentic AI and Authentication: Exploring Some Unanswered Questions appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
I’ve been saying that to follow what’s happening in NHI standards, some of the core work you need to follow is happening in the IETF: SPICE, WIMSE, and SCITT. Everybody loves WIMSE with its workload identity architecture, and building the credential format in SPICE that can meet the needs of NHIs is of course brilliant Continue Reading The post Securing the Software Supply Chain: How SCITT, SPIFFE, and WIMSE Work Together appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
I don’t think of myself as an expert in non-human identity (NHI). Instead, I’d say I’m NHI-curious and eager to share what I’m learning. Lately, I’ve been going down a rabbit hole about when and how to indicate if someone—or something—is human. I’m clearly not alone in asking this. Last year, I was one of Continue Reading The post Are You Human? A Dive Into the Proof of Personhood Debate appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Back in November 2024, my article “Token Lifetimes and Security in OAuth 2.0: Best Practices and Emerging Trends” was published in the IDPro® Body of Knowledge, and wow—over 1,600 people have already checked it out! If you’re one of those people who clicked on the article but didn’t quite have time to read it (or Continue Reading The post Unlock the Secrets of OAuth 2.0 Tokens (and Have Fun Doing It!) appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
The post discusses the critical role of standards development in shaping modern technology and emphasizes the importance of early organizational engagement. Referencing an NSA/CISA report, it argues that participating in standards not only offers organizations influence and insights into technological trends but also drives innovation and ensures representation of their needs. The writer encourages businesses to engage actively to mitigate the risk of competing interests dominating discussion...| Spherical Cow Consulting
This post advocates for joining IDPro®, a professional association focused on digital identity management. It emphasizes that all organizations with a digital presence are, in essence, technology companies managing complex identity-related systems. IDPro provides crucial resources, including a vendor-neutral Body of Knowledge, CIDPRO® certification, and a vibrant community for practitioners to share ideas and best practices. Membership not only supports individual professional growth but al...| Spherical Cow Consulting
Academia is facing challenges in managing non-human identities (NHIs), which are essential for modern research systems but often treated like human users. As NHIs grow in complexity, issues like token sprawl, access management misalignments, and compliance difficulties arise, especially in collaborative environments like high-performance computing. Traditional directories fail to manage these identities effectively due to their static assumptions and lack of context. To improve NHI management...| Spherical Cow Consulting
Digital identity wallets are crucial digital tools that should not be merely viewed as apps or tied only to government guidelines. Essential questions about their operation and interoperability remain. The EU's Digital Identity Architecture Reference Framework (ARF) provides guidance but lacks implementation specifics. Open-source initiatives like the Open Wallet Foundation offer valuable resources, including a Wallet Safety Guide, yet still do not address all protocol details needed for inte...| Spherical Cow Consulting
The post discusses the importance of trust frameworks in federated identity management, emphasizing the need for operationalization and sustainability. Although trust frameworks define the rules for interoperability among organizations, the challenge lies in funding and resources. Many federations are underfunded and struggle to implement these frameworks effectively, leading to reliance on outdated systems. The author argues that successful operationalization requires governance and support ...| Spherical Cow Consulting
The journey of developing Internet standards is a complex yet fascinating process that combines personal creativity with collective teamwork. It begins with identifying a problem and brainstorming solutions, often involving multiple stakeholders to create a consensus. This requires navigating various interests within diverse Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), which may range from treaty-based to industry-based groups. Engaging a broad audience is vital for adoption, ensuring the stan...| Spherical Cow Consulting
Cryptography secures communications through various algorithms, which the general public need not understand. The U.S. Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140 specifies security requirements for cryptographic modules, with the latest version, FIPS 140-3, aligning with international standards. This standard is crucial for federal cybersecurity and influences broader industry practices. The Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CVMP) verifies that cryptographic modules meet these ...| Spherical Cow Consulting
Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) are essential for safeguarding digital identities amidst increasing data breaches. They encompass tools like zero-knowledge proofs and advanced biometrics to secure both human and non-human identities in the digital space. As digital identity expands to include non-human entities, PETs are vital for ensuring privacy and security. Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) emerge as a game-changer, allowing for verification without revealing sensitive data. While challe...| Spherical Cow Consulting
The EU's Digital Identity Architecture Reference Framework (ARF) offers a starting point for digital wallets. It aims to support user control over personal data while meeting legal and cybersecurity requirements. But to get there from here, you need to know what you don't know: the functional and non-functional requirements, along with interfaces and integration points for digital identity wallets. The post The EU Digital Identity Architecture Reference Framework – How to Get There From Her...| Spherical Cow Consulting
In a digital age where the management of identity wallets and credentials is becoming increasingly complex, the W3C's Web Incubator Community Group (WICG) has initiated a pivotal work item called Digital Credentials. As co-chair of the newly formed Federated Identity Working Group alongside Wendy Seltzer, I delve into why this project may (or may not!) soon find a permanent home within our group. This post explores the dance between digital identity, browser behavior, and the broader ecosyste...| Spherical Cow Consulting
This is the transcript to my YouTube explainer video on why privacy and personalization are so hard to balance. Likes and subscriptions are always welcome! The post Privacy and Personalization on the Web: Striking the Balance appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Browser vendors are replacing third-party cookies for authentication services on the web. Learn more about what that means in this latest transcript of my YouTube channel! The post elaborates on the W3C's role in standardizing web functionality, introduces the Federated Credential Manager (FedCM) as a privacy-enhancing API, and mentions other initiatives by major tech companies. Organizations need to be proactive in shaping the future of web privacy so we can collectively create a more secure...| Spherical Cow Consulting
Step into the arena where web tools dual as privacy foes and friends. From cookies to link decorations, we unveil how tracking morphs under the web's surface. Discover the challenge browsers face in shielding you without stripping the web's soul. Excited for a cookieless future? We're laying the groundwork in our series' next chapter! The post Understanding Browser Tracking & Logins: The Invisible Trail appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Moving towards a passwordless future is crucial for cybersecurity. So many high-profile breaches highlight the vulnerability of relying on passwords. Embracing passkeys, digital credentials tied to user accounts, and applications, offers a more secure and user-friendly alternative. Organizations should advocate for enhanced security, cost savings, and smoother user experience. In the meantime, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) can mitigate risks associated with passwords. Transit...| Spherical Cow Consulting
Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) is a system architecture guiding tech choices, not a software or service. It prioritizes the individual, allowing them to control their own information. Blockchain technology, as a decentralized database with data spread across nodes, seems a fit for SSI as it ensures accuracy and security. However, it has limitations like being computationally expensive and complex. Various alternatives like Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and OpenID for Verifiable Credentials ...| Spherical Cow Consulting
The blog post discusses Federated Identity and Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI), comparing the two architectures. Functionally, there's a lot in common. Technically, not so much. Read on to learn more! The post Federated Identity and SSI – YMMV appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
The W3C is becoming more involved in the digital identity credential and wallet space due to the growing use of web browsers for various digital activities. This involvement includes addressing how browsers interact with identity wallets. An incubation effort is taking place within the Web Incubator Community Group (WICG) to investigate these issues and establish standards. The post Standards, Browsers, and Identity Wallets appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
(Spoiler Alert: the answer might be “both”!) This is a slightly technical article trying to capture how two different types of authentication mechanisms, federated login and passkeys, compare. Despite how similar they might look to the user because of the design of the login page, they are ultimately quite different things! When websites require you Continue Reading The post Comparing Federated Logins and Passkeys: Which One Fits Your Needs? appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Authorization is growing as the next big thing. I want to understand why, and writing about it is how I get there from here. The post Authorization – the Next Big Thing appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Hosting a successful meeting requires preparation, good facilitation, time to absorb material, and a clear post-meeting report. The post Hosting a Successful Meeting appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Time for Heather's favorite tips to staying organized in a busy freelancing world. The post How to Stay Organized: Tips for Entrepreneurs, Freelancers, and Consultants appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
There is more to communication than just the correct use of words, phrases, and clauses. Let's look at some of the communication skills that don't get enough attention. The post Communication as a Critical Business Skill appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
For the last three months, I’ve been working on a white paper, “Government-issued Credentials and the Privacy Landscape.” This paper aims to inspire thought and provoke useful conversations about enhancing online privacy between people setting privacy laws and regulations and people writing technical standards. The paper is still a Work In Progress, though realistically speaking, Continue Reading The post Navigating the Intersection of Privacy Laws and Technical Standards appeared first...| Spherical Cow Consulting
The technology that supports digital identity is like magic. A quick scan of your face and you can open your phone or get on a plane. But what happens when the promise of technology falls short for significant segments of the population? This is top of mind because of the newly proposed NIST 800-63 rev 4 Continue Reading The post NIST 800-63-4 and Equity appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Getting started often seems to be one of the biggest blockers to writing (the other is actually finishing). I usually write 2-3 blog posts a week for myself and my clients, but it's not like the idea springs forth fully formed and perfect! Here's what my writing process looks like using last week's blog post on personal accountability as an example. The post The Writing Process appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Last week, I talked about a few of the challenges with the language around privacy. That kicked off an excellent conversation on social media and via email. It also made me think about another topic that I find challenging to talk about: biometrics. Dictionary.com defines biometrics as: the process by which a person’s unique physical and Continue Reading The post Bemused about Biometrics appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Privacy is a particularly thorny topic. The concept is always contextually defined, and it does not get easier when different concepts—anonymity, confidentiality, secrecy, and security—are regularly conflated with privacy. Read on... The post Pedantic About Privacy appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Every business should outline its goals for the year; freelancers are no different! Here are my goals, in the form of resolutions, for 2023. The post Resolutions for 2023 appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Being a freelancer doesn't have to mean stalling over the holidays! Here are some tips of what you might do during everyone's downtime. The post Freelancing Advice for the Holidays appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
ChatGPT and AI are all the rage. And I mean that literally - people are excited, surprised, scared, and angry by the potential this kind of service has. Here's my take on whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. The post Can AI Write This Blog Post? appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Sometimes even the changes you’ve been planning for can take you by surprise. Time to reflect on how on earth THAT happened! The post When Gravity Takes Over appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Your brain is a beautiful thing. Your brain after dealing with digital identity for a few years might need therapy. The post This Is Your Brain On Identity appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
The Great Myth of Job Portability The news these days is full of announcements about massive layoffs. There are stories about the people left “holding the bag” at companies that are, by all reports, purely toxic workplaces. I’ve seen the sentiment, “why would _anyone_ stay there? They should all quit! That’ll show those horrible bosses Continue Reading The post “Why don’t they just quit?” appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Keeping Track of What You Learn From Your Clients As a freelancer, do you ever stop and write down what you learned from a project as it closes? What made working on that effort awesome? What do you want to make sure you never have to deal with again? Project managers often (but not always!) Continue Reading The post It’s a Wrap! appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Long ago, probably when I was in middle school (so, around 12 years old), my teachers introduced me to the power of index cards. Whenever I was researching for a paper or studying for an exam, the process started by taking notes on index cards. Each card would have its own fact and source. At Continue Reading The post Index Cards – They Never Go Out of Style appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been exploring social media in entirely new ways. I’ve learned a few things along the way: 1) I have a long way to go to use hashtags effectively, 2) my video processing skills are laughable, 3) I feel ridiculous on TikTok. So, why am I spending so much time Continue Reading The post Embracing the Uncomfortable appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Why yes, yes she can. And in my case, that side gig is something I’ve been working on with my friend Laura Paglione since July of last year. Who knew it could take so many months to get a ‘simple’ idea off the ground? This all started when I threw open the virtual doors to Continue Reading The post Can a Freelancer Have a Side Gig? appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
I am good at a lot of things when it comes to my career. I’m good at developing adaptive processes, managing people, and organizing activities. That said, I’m not good at creating formal, strict processes, working alone, visual design, or operational task management. I can’t begin to tell you how powerful it is to finally Continue Reading The post You Don’t Have To Be Good At Everything appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Working with Volunteers Have you ever noticed how many people, at least in Western cultures, think money is kinda dirty? That there is some kind of nobility about working towards a greater good without monetary compensation? An idea that people spend time on only because they believe it is good, fun, or otherwise meets some Continue Reading The post Where Did All the Energy Go? appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Organizing and Facilitating a Virtual Workshop Earlier this year, a team within Google reached out to me for advice on engaging with the people in the IAM field who would give them the feedback they needed to progress their WebID project. Since WebID is all about federated identity on the web — one of my favorite topics Continue Reading The post But There’s No Pressure appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Being a freelancer, while not for everyone, is my idea of a fantastic career. I get to build my ideal job. I get to see the big picture across organizations and even entire industries. I get to interact with some of the most brilliant people on the planet. But to have room for all of Continue Reading The post Be Brave. Say No. appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
One of my favorite parts about starting a new contract (which also applied to starting new projects when I had a more traditional day job) is hearing the goals, dreams, and aspirations the client has for the work they want me to take on. Not only do I get to listen to smart people talk Continue Reading The post The Gaps Are Where Life Gets Interesting appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
As an editor, I can usually tell when someone has written their material as a stream of consciousness. Absolutely EVERYTHING seems to end up on the page, in whatever order they think of the content. If they happen to be particularly methodical thinkers, they’ll end up with a reasonably organized (if overly wordy) document. If Continue Reading The post The Power of the Outline appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
It’s common advice that you should watch and listen to yourself via a recording in order to improve your public speaking skills. There are few things more uncomfortable than doing that, but I had an opportunity this week to discover something even more uncomfortable: watching and listening to myself on a recording with 50 other Continue Reading The post Public Speaking Tips for Virtual Conferences appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
I recently read an article about how United Airlines developed strong succession planning for the changing of their CEOs. I remember the days when I could focus on succession planning! It was one of my KPIs as a traditional employee and it was quite rewarding.It gave me the opportunity to mentor someone (or someone’s) to Continue Reading The post Succession Planning in Consulting appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Every once in a while, I’ll find myself hung up on a particular quirk of writing and develop a visceral twitch every time I see it in action. This post is about one of those twitches… If there’s one thing I see writers do with alarming frequency, it’s sprinkle their material with sentences like “This Continue Reading The post The Case of the Unclear Antecedent appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
The Internet requires so many different types of people and roles in order to function. As much as people tend to assume degrees in computer science or experience as a software developer, that’s just some of what you might find in the Internet ecosystem. To explore the roles that are out there now, I’ve been […]| Spherical Cow Consulting
Heather Flanagan| Spherical Cow Consulting
Heather Flanagan| Spherical Cow Consulting
The Federated Credential Management API (FedCM) is under development by the W3C to address the need for federated authentication without relying on third-party cookies. The initiative stems from concerns about user tracking across the web. A key challenge is defining the specification's focus, as it must balance between solving specific issues and practical implementation. FedCM initially aimed to address third-party cookie functions but has faced confusion on whether it should tackle broader...| Spherical Cow Consulting
Many people reading this post grew up believing and expecting in a single, borderless Internet: a vast network of networks that let us talk, share, and build without arbitrary walls. I like that model, probably because I am a globalist, but I don't think that's where the world is heading. The post The End of the Global Internet appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
When not distracted by AI (which, you have to admit, is very distracting) I’ve been thinking a lot about delegation in digital identity. We have the tools that allow administrators or individuals grant specific permissions to applications and service. In theory, it’s a clean model. The post Delegation and Consent: Who Actually Benefits? appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
What do pirates and librarians teach us about standards development? More than you’d think—especially when it comes to leadership.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Heather Flanagan| Spherical Cow Consulting
Heather Flanagan| Spherical Cow Consulting
Google recently gave us something we’ve been waiting on for years: hard numbers on how much energy an AI prompt uses. According to their report, the median Gemini prompt consumes just 0.24 watt-hours of electricity — roughly running a microwave for a second — along with some drops of water for cooling. The post Who Really Pays When AI Agents Run Wild? Incentives, Identity, and the Hidden Bill appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Access models were built with people in mind. I’ve seen how creaky they get when the ‘user’ is an AI agent. Suddenly, those dusty old entitlements look very shaky. #AI #authorization| Spherical Cow Consulting
We don’t spend much time thinking about the roads we drive on—until one cracks, collapses, or dumps us somewhere we didn’t mean to be. Identity in the age of agentic AI? Same deal. It’s infrastructure. Like a good road, it needs to be ready for traffic we can’t imagine. The post Roads, Robots, and Responsibility: Why Agentic AI Needs Identity Infrastructure appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Not all bots are bad, but they all cost something. Identity isn't enough and incentives must reshape automated traffic management.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Heather Flanagan| Spherical Cow Consulting
This one’s for everyone who’s ever said, "I’m not technical enough to participate in standards development." If you’ve wondered what working group chair skills actually matter, I have news for you: you don’t need to be a spec-writing wizard to be effective. I do get it, though. The post Working Group Chair Skills: Standards Work Isn’t Just for Coders appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
If you want to follow what's happening in AI, it helps to know where the conversations are happening. That doesn't just mean the headlines and white papers; it means the standards bodies, working groups, and protocol discussions shaping the infrastructure AI systems will have to live with (and live inside). The post Agentic AI in the Open Standards Community: Standards Work or Just Hype? appeared first on Spherical Cow Consulting.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Disinformation. Misinformation. Malinformation. These terms get used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. That distinction matters when designing resilient infrastructure that supports trust. Most of our efforts to address these problems focus on content, activities like fact-checking, moderation, and takedown requests.| Spherical Cow Consulting
I went to WSIS+20 to hear what is and isn’t said about identity and standards when governance is discussed.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Is the digital identity wallet metaphor helping or hurting adoption? A look at where the term breaks down and what might work better.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Digital identity isn’t one-size-fits-all. Explore why trust frameworks must reflect cultural context and start with more inclusive standards.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Explores mDL “phone home” verification and how privacy, fraud, and risk influence digital credential standards development.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Most identity standards assume stability, but what happens when trust breaks down? Let's explore what resilience looks like.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Open standards are the backbone of interoperable digital identity. Here's what that really means and why the details matter more than ever.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Governance in decentralization is often the real blocker—not technology. Learn how trust structures decide whether systems succeed or stall.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Centralization vs decentralization isn’t about tech, it's about incentives. What if success looked more distributed?| Spherical Cow Consulting
The cost of decentralization isn’t just money—it’s complexity, redundancy, and effort. Learn what to weigh before you build for resilience.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Centralized vs decentralized? The smartest architectures can shift. Learn why flexibility is key to resilient system and identity design.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Learn why businesses should adopt digital credentials and how they combat fraud while navigating complex environments.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Navigate the tension between identity standards and reality in CIAM and the gap between aspiration and execution.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Understand the competing terminology of digital credentials, verifiable credentials, and verifiable digital credentials.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Get a better understanding of Non-Human Identities (NHI) and how they differ from human identities. NHI require more from IAM.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Read my rant about the challenges faced by identity federations and their relevance to the world of wallets.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Discover how AI is revolutionizing digital identity security, enhancing online safety, and addressing new challenges in today's digital world.| Spherical Cow Consulting
The long-term scalability of digital attestation and verification is a huge problem for IAM that needs attention. Let's talk about it.| Spherical Cow Consulting
Leverage nearly 15 years of expertise in Digital Identity Standards Development with personalized consulting services.| Spherical Cow Consulting
