Decentralized Trust in Digital Societies DTDS

Can we trust our digital selves?

Every time you log in, share data, or verify your identity, you’re placing trust in systems—centralized or decentralized—that you don’t always see. Understanding how trust functions in these hidden structures is key to designing human-centered and secure digital experiences.

How do we do it?

We study the foundations of trust in decentralized systems like the EUDIW, both technical and philosophical. We map how trust flows between actors, evaluate risks such as privacy loss and exclusion, and examine the wider effects on institutions, society, and vulnerable groups.

Why we do it?

By tackling challenges like user-centricity, privacy, data control, and trust breaches, we aim to inform policies and practices to build, regulate, and develop technology that is democratically trusted and technically trustworthy. Our findings can guide the assessment and auditing of systems like the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDIW).