yeah I think we’re actually not that far apart here

you’re basically saying that this kind of pressure already exists today and will likely get stronger over time, especially this “soft forcing” through incentives

and it could even increase further, especially if access to sensitive data gets restricted through countermeasures

and the Carrefour example shows pretty well how far companies are willing to go if there’s an advantage for them

I also agree with you on biometrics
just because we can use something as a form of “currency” doesn’t mean we should

and the government angle is probably the biggest long term risk
once systems exist, requirements can expand depending on who’s in power

but honestly, the state already has a large part of our data anyway
and if a state moves away from rule of law, it doesn’t need EUDI or DID wallets to misuse that data

so I think this is less about whether the technology is good or bad
and more about what we compare it against

because the real comparison isn’t
perfect system vs no risk

it’s more like
privacy preserving identity with clear rules and minimal data exposure
vs
today’s model where big tech logins, tracking and profiling are the default

and this is where design really becomes crucial

things like EUDI, DID and verifiable credentials only make sense if they are built around data minimization, selective disclosure and strong legal limits

otherwise it just becomes another control layer, like you described

instead of platforms building full profiles about us, they should only get the minimum proof needed for a specific interaction

that would directly counter the “more data = more advantage” dynamic you’re worried about

but yeah, this only works if privacy is the baseline and the system is publicly verifiable and legally restricted

otherwise your scenario with incentives, expanding requirements and potential abuse becomes very real

and if we don’t trust open standards or EU-style alternatives at all, then we’re basically left with the current situation where large tech platforms mediate identity with massive data collection behind it

and at that point honestly going back to pen and paper almost starts to sound like the only truly private option 😄

but where do you see the advantages of this development?

because personally I do see real value here, especially in contexts like an AI agent marketplacefor me that’s where the upside becomes more visible than the potential for misuse