[New Essay] Nostr is Identity for the Internet

https://hivemind.vc/identity/

The Internet needs user-owned identity and an associated open data layer. And I'm more convinced than ever that Nostr will win.

I agree with @jack that the long tail of microapps is ultimately Nostr's killer feature. But which will take off next?

In my mind, Nostr will follow a straightforward trajectory - first solving discovery/reputation problems for Bitcoiners, then for early tech adopters, and finally for the mainstream. Here are some examples where I think Nostr based discovery & reputation will shine:

- Global, social payments ala @primal @OpenSecret @Alby & @Boardwalk
- Ecash mint discovery/selection ala @OpenSecret & bitcoinmints.com
- Marketplaces for DLC oracles ala lava.xyz
- Local Bitcoins replacements ala @Mostro
- Open Source AI agent discovery ala @Christopher David's openagents.com & @CASCDR
- Marketplaces for APIs ala @PABLOF7z's DVMs & @TaskTiger
- An open github replacement ala @DanConwayDev's gitworkshop.dev
- An open PWA App Store ala @franzap's zap.store & store.app
- ValueRank search & discovery ala @Nostr.Band @dataMachine 🤖 & kagi.com
- Marketplaces for files ala @Stuart Bowman & @hzrd149's Blossom
- Review & UGC content sites ala @Julian 🏛️🪐's heyapollo.com & @Alekandar Svetski's Satlantis
- Value4Value content creation and delivery ala @Fountain @Wavlake & @Geyser

Of course the most exciting category of all is the unexpected wave of unimaginable apps that will eventually emerge. Ultimately, user owned identity and open data lead to online trust, which is a beautiful and deflationary force, capable of disrupting predatory marketplace middlemen and shifting the balance from financial to social capital. I.e. a more humane world. (h/t @Stuart Bowman)

Thanks to @brugeman @miljan @David King @bob & @Moritz for feedback on this essay.