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Bad moon rising.

Semantic Wave: TypeKey: Centralized User Authentication (emphasis mine)

Six Apart has posted information about their upcoming TypeKey privacy-protected authentication service. TypeKey is clearly a critical aspect of Movable Type 3.0 and Six Apart will be allowing other web sites and services to participate. In time, this web service could evolve into a practical alternative to Microsoft Passport.

You say that like it's a good thing, when it should be setting off alarm bells in your head.

I find the idea of this appalling. I would hope that TypeKey is an optional part of MT 3.0; otherwise, it's off to find a new weblogging system.

This is the web, kids. The things that make it so good are also the things that make it a pain in the ass and high-maintenance at times. That whole deal about "emergent democracy?" Remember that? Part of that means that people with absolutely nothing to say get to talk too. Free speech is not limited to the things you find useful, or you agree with, or you deem sufficiently serious to allow publication. That's that whole top-down journalism we love to deride over here in counterpublishing (oh, sorry, "personal publishing") so much.

But what about comment spam? Yes, it is a pain. Yes, I use MT-Blacklist. But a system requiring registration with a central authority is deciding to use a cyclotron to crush an ant. TypeKey is cc:Mail for weblogs. There's too much potential for abuse of this.

Plus. It. will. get. cracked.

Posted by John on March 20, 2004 11:25 AM |

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» Passport Comes to Frogtown? Quick Jotting on Discussion Censors, etc. from Pudding Time!
A lot of people are weighing in on SixApart's recent announcement of [TypeKey](http://typekey.sixapart.com/), a service meant to provide a way for people who like to [Read More]

Tracked on March 21, 2004 6:14 PM

Comments

When I say practical, I do not mean that there is inherent goodness in such a thing. No doubt there will be abuse, but Six Apart has a good track record with that.

I see the applicability of typekey. Most importantly, centralized user auth helps smaller services compete with "agglomerated" larger services (much as credit cards do). For example, it would be practical for a small online game to offer use someone's typekey identity instead of requiring them to sign up for yet another service.

On the safety issue, Six Apart appears thus far to practice good business ethics and openness, not to mention the fact that they participate in the open source and creative commons communities. Their behavior implies that they can be somewhat trusted with a centralized authentication system, much as yahoo can be somewhat trusted with our email.

- JP

Posted by: Jamie Pitts | March 20, 2004 4:30 PM