FAQ

Answers to frequently-asked questions

How do I unlink an app from my BrightID?

To protect against sybil attacks, apps don't allow you to unlink an account you made with them. Most apps will allow you to link more than one account to the same BrightID, so the answer is usually to link again with a new account. Talk to support for the app.

Where is BrightID useful?

BrightID can be used for:

• Universal Basic Income

• Voting / Polling

• E-commerce

However, new use cases are being discovered by the community every day.

How is BrightID different from other identity solutions?

BrightID is a solution for knowing whether someone exists in a system only once. It is specifically designed to work well in a digital environment.

BrightID can solve a problem that is difficult for other identity solutions: the problem of unique identity. It does so in a way that doesn’t require personal data to be collected or attested by others.

Why doesn’t BrightID use biometrics?

Biometrics (fingerprints, retina scans) are useful for determining whether someone belongs to a set of known people. They aren’t useful for stopping an attacker from creating duplicate identities–unless the test is administered by a trusted third party. BrightID uses relationships between close friends and relatives to verify unique personhood.

A third party may choose to use biometrics in conjunction with BrightID.

Does BrightID use facial recognition?

In order to stop an attacker from making duplicate identities, an AI would have to be able to recognize all attempts to alter or disguise one’s face. This is beyond the capability of an artificial intelligence for the foreseeable future.

BrightID uses trusted relationships between people to verify its users. This includes people’s ability to recognize someone in person using all available information, including recognizing their face. A real person’s ability to recognize another person far surpasses that of an AI.

Your name and photo exist to allow your connections to identify you and are not stored or used by BrightID outside of your and their devices.