Nostr Web Client

Jason Ansley | Fractional COO | Leadership Coach

How do #nostriches actually verify high profile #nostr users?

Example, there is a Michael saylor Nostr account…maybe it’s him (maybe it’s not…as I doubt the real Saylor would DM me 🤦‍♂️ … but maybe he needs my help with something 🤪)

Same goes for Jack (he has a ton of followers and so maybe he really is Jack (Dorsey)

What about Mahlers? Has a lot of followers…how do we know the real anyone on Nostr?

I think this is an important issue to address if we want to #grownostr responsibly (for lack of better word)

Mnm 1y ago

How did you verify Trump's Twitter account is his?

1. You trusted Twitter in the process they do, and that they won't take advantage of it.

2. Maybe he mentioned it in a video (not valid for the futurm, can be faked with AI).

In Nostr, like in PGP, you don't have a central source of authority. You need to stablish a web of trust... Do people trusted by you (because you know them in real life or something else) acknowledge this source as trustworthy?

As all messages in Nostr are signed, messages and author can't be faked. Twitter could modify or create a Tweet without account owner's permission.

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Discussion

Lady Mae - Growth Teacher 1y ago

True, messages and author are signed. Let's go by this statement. Having a verified account on nostr does not necessarily mean they are who they say they are. Everyone can go through nostr verification at the same time pretending to be someone else. Unless you personally know that person — you have some other means of contacting them, Eg. Private messaging app outside nostr or contact number or in person, you would not know if they are who they say are. Unless I misunderstood this part. Example, Jack Dorsey's account has been impersonated by multiple accounts and they were verified accounts but they were faked. The only way of knowing is sadly the number of following of Jack. The impersonators have less than less than 10k following whilst Jack has 200k plus followers. The bottom line, unless you personally know someone or you use other platform like X with verified account and post your npub there, only then you can say that it was Jack. But I may have understood this and open to know more. ☺️

Mnm 1y ago

You are describing a web of trust: different people and different sources to increase the probability (it's never a yes/no) that someone is who they say they are on the internet.

Lady Mae - Growth Teacher 1y ago

good to know that I am on the same page ☺️

Jason Ansley | Fractional COO | Leadership Coach 1y ago

This is a great basis to build upon.

So, what are the ways, we can increase the probability?

You mention different people and different sources…

Honestly what comes to mind of #proofofwork

The more places I provide evidence of effort ( #pow ) the higher the probability it is “me” vs “you impersonating me”.

So in the Nostr sphere…how does one adequately do this?

Again, “body of work” comes to mind from an academic vernacular, but in brass tacks, boots on the ground, sort of way…how do we do this?

(Ie most of us just experienced the reply guy bot “attack”. What’s keeping someone from creating a bot that out works me because I’m only human and therefore akin to #btc 51% attack wins…)

Mnm 1y ago

Pow was created to avoid spam in mail. It serves for any other protocol.

It shows a signal that you are willing to take this seriously.