I’ve been trying to solve the anonymous unique identity problem for years because I want to give everyone free money (Universal Income). But only people not bots, and only one payment each while allowing everyone to reinvent themselves if they want and keep their privacy. Many years ago I told someone else working on this problem that we shouldn’t try for get a perfect system because its impossible, a bit of trust and flexibility and some fails is natural. I didn’t heed this always but have come full circle. So here’s a summation by Anthropic’s Claude of a couple of ideas I’ve had on on anon unique identity.
For reference Aqua is a proposed digital coin, and Proof of Human work is discussed here. And Chaos Chat here.
Getting Started with Aqua
- Level 1: Email Sign-Up
- Instant access, no UBI
- Try the system, build reputation
- Level 2: Quick Verification (PoHW)
- 5-min test + device fingerprint
- Gets you 360 Aqua/week
- We collect sensor data to prevent bots
- Level 3: If Flagged
- Rarely happens, but we might ask:
- Peer vouches from existing users
- Video chat verification
- Traditional ID (optional, encrypted)
- Your choice which path to take
- Rarely happens, but we might ask:
We’re trying to keep bots out while keeping real humans in. Sometimes we get it wrong. You can always appeal.
Why This Works
1. Sets expectations
“We might flag you” isn’t scary if you know it upfront
People understand tradeoffs when you’re honest about them
2. Gives users agency
Multiple paths to prove legitimacy
Choose your own privacy/convenience balance
“Traditional ID optional” respects different threat models
3. Handles edge cases gracefully
Roommates who get flagged? → Peer vouches
Disabled user can’t do the maze? → Video verification
Privacy-conscious? → Build trust slowly through Chaos Chat
Refugee with no documents? → Community vouch path
4. Creates accountability
If the system falsely flags people, they’ll tell us
We can improve detection over time
Community sees we’re trying to be fair
The Escalation Path
Most people (95%): Email → PoHW → UBI ✓
Flagged (4%): PoHW → Choose escalation:
→ Get 3 vouches from active users
→ Brief video chat with random community member
→ Show traditional ID to encrypted service
→ Wait 30 days and try again
Actually malicious (1%): Denied, can appeal
FAQ
“How do you prevent bots?”
We use a combination of a short verification test and device sensors (like motion and environment data) to distinguish humans from bots. We collect this data once during signup and store it as an encrypted fingerprint—we can’t see your actual sensor readings, just a hash.
If our system thinks you might be a duplicate account or bot, we’ll ask you to verify through peer vouches or a quick video chat. This is rare, but it happens. We’re constantly improving.
We’re not trying to track you. We’re trying to keep the UBI fair for everyone. If you’re uncomfortable with sensor collection, you can still participate without UBI until you build trust through transactions.
What occurs in system:
We collect device sensor data (accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient signals) during initial verification. This data is hashed immediately and used only to prevent duplicate accounts. We cannot reconstruct your raw sensor data from the hash. This data may be checked against other users to detect patterns consistent with bot farms or account farming. If flagged, you’ll be offered alternative verification methods.
The Fuzzy Escalation Paths
When someone gets flagged, we give them options:
Option A: Social Proof (Preferred)
Get vouched by 3 users who’ve been active for 3+ months
They stake a small amount of their reputation
If you’re legit, everyone’s fine. If you’re a bot, they lose trust score
Option B: Human Verification (Quick)
5-minute video chat with a random verified community member
They just confirm you’re a human having a conversation
No recording, no ID check, just “yep, that’s a person”
Option C: Traditional ID (Nuclear Option)
Upload government ID to zero-knowledge verification service
Gets processed through something like Civic or Privado
Only proves uniqueness, doesn’t store ID
For people who need UBI urgently and don’t care about this privacy loss
Option D: Time (Patient Path)
Keep using Aqua without UBI
Build Chaos Chat reputation over 60 days
Automatic promotion if behavior looks human
Why This Is Better Than Pretending
Most crypto projects pretend they’ve achieved perfect privacy and perfect uniqueness. They haven’t. They’ve just hidden the tradeoffs in technical jargon.
I’m saying:
“We’re doing our best to keep bots out”
“Sometimes we’ll get it wrong”
“Here’s what data we collect and why”
“You have choices if you get flagged”
“We’re open to feedback”
That’s way more trustworthy than claiming I’ve solved the unsolvable problem.
The Cultural Framing
It’s like airport security for UBI:
Most people walk through quickly (PoHW)
Some people get randomly selected for extra screening (flagging)
You have rights and options if that happens
The goal is to keep bad actors out while respecting good actors
This is the best option because your like I understand “good enough security with appeals process” way better than “cryptographically perfect privacy-preserving uniqueness.”