The Solid protocol, invented by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, represents a radical reimagining of how data operates online. Solid stands for “SOcial LInked Data.” At its core, it decouples data from applications by storing personal information in user-controlled “data wallets”: secure, personal data stores that users can host anywhere they choose. Applications can access specific data within these wallets, but users maintain ownership and control.
Solid is more than distributed data storage. This architecture inverts the current data ownership model. Instead of companies owning user data, users maintain a single source of truth for their personal information. It integrates and extends all those established identity standards and technologies mentioned earlier, and forms a comprehensive stack that places personal identity at the architectural center.
This identity-first paradigm means that every digital interaction begins with the authenticated individual who maintains control over their data. Applications become interchangeable views into user-owned data, rather than data silos themselves. This enables unprecedented interoperability, as services can securely access precisely the information they need while respecting user-defined boundaries.
Solid ensures that user intentions are transparently expressed and reliably enforced across the entire ecosystem. Instead of each application implementing its own custom authorization logic and access controls, Solid establishes a standardized declarative approach where permissions are explicitly defined through control lists or policies attached to resources. Users can specify who has access to what data with granular precision, using simple statements like “Alice can read this document” or “Bob can write to this folder.” These permission rules remain consistent, regardless of which application is accessing the data, eliminating the fragmentation and unpredictability of traditional authorization systems. //
Peter Galbavy • July 24, 2025 9:30 AM
Maybe I have failed to have boned up on Solid, but the charming naivete that people will maintain their own personal data stores in an honest and trustworthy way is only slightly less laughable than how it’s done right now. Or maybe not.
Again, perhaps, because I have not spent any time looking at the actual protocol details I am confused where the veracity comes from? Or am I suddenly able to call myself an Admiral with a law degree and a healthy trust fund as a credit line?
Financial criminality would be democratised overnight, if nothing else.
atanas entchev • July 24, 2025 11:01 AM
The Solid protocol is charmingly naive. It assumes — like the early internet — good-will participation from everyone. We know that this is not how the real world functions.
What is to stop bad actors from building and presenting a fake profile / history / whatever?
Peter A. • July 24, 2025 11:11 AM
There’s also another problem: partial identities, pseudonymous/fake identities, companies that collect too much data, etc. Having a data store that has it all is a bit risky, as you can accidentally share too much, especially the people that are a little less competent with all that computer stuff.
Shashank Yadav • July 24, 2025 8:57 AM
People like to own things which accord them status or meaningful utility – which is where all expectations of users considering data ownership falter.
Moreover, for enterprise users this may work, the vast majority of individual users cannot be expected to maintain such personal data pods. Hypothetically, let us say you make a law requiring this way of data management, there will immediately be third-parties who people would prefer to handle this for them. Kind of like the notion of consent managers in India’s data protection laws, because competent and continuous technical administration cannot be expected from ordinary users.
