Abstract
The sudden eradication of the EU vision on Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) is the focal point of this study. Recognizing SSI's ontological confusion, this work argues that Self-Sovereign Identity should be viewed as a neutral, technology-agnostic concept. Clarifying the meaning of SSI is crucial given the ongoing crisis of identity theft, an invisible crime that has become the most profitable activity of organised crime. It was necessary to take a step back from the current IS pragmatist approach and work without an empirical net thus pushing Information Systems research to its “edges”. We use “high-level theorising”, grounded on engaged scholarship and applied philosophy as a research framework, supported by intuition and metacognition as research methodology. The findings demonstrate the neutrality and dichotomy of Self-Sovereign Identity and introduce an initial quantitative instrument to measure the SSI level of a nation. The subsequent steps of this ongoing research include proposing a unified perspective of SSI and its overall implications, using “provocatype designs” to provoke critical reflexions regarding the societal consequences of the EU SSI solutions/technologies, alongside recommendations for defensive and offensive measures to counteract identity theft and organised crime. Ultimately, Self-Sovereign Identity is framed as a matter of freedom and human rights.
Recommended Citation
de Amorim, Ana Paula and Sousa, Rui Dinis, "The Neutrality and Dichotomy of Self-Sovereign Identity: An Exploratory Study" (2024). MCIS 2024 Proceedings. 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/mcis2024/3