The proximity problem is the difficulty of recognizing and interacting with entities when an online system is physically distant from them. A kiosk in a coffee shop may provide the interface, while the ordering system operates in the cloud, replacing a direct relationship with a limited, transactional exchange. section 2.2.1
Digital identity addresses this distance by helping systems recognize, remember, and relate to people, organizations, services, things, and AI agents. Accounts preserve identity information, while authentication determines who is requesting access and authorization determines what that requester may do. section 1.1
Online systems manage proximity through several mechanisms:
- Accounts store identifiers, credentials, keys, and contextual attributes for entities with which the system has formed relationships. section 1.1
- Authentication uses signals such as usernames, passwords, or biometrics to recognize a connecting entity, though weak signals can create security and usability problems. section 2.2.1
- Authorization controls access after recognition, connecting identity to the actions permitted by the system. section 1.1
