FIDs and identity

An FID's value comes from its social graph, both stated through following and revealed through activity, rather than from its profile or the onchain primitive alone. Digital identity emerges from apps with utility, so building an identity layer first is the wrong order of operations; an identity layer is earned through time spent, usage and people building on it. Email addresses, phone numbers and OS-level sign-ins such as Sign in with Apple and Sign in with Google are named as the identities at scale in 2024. Email began as the internet's original killer app, and many apps shifted from email to phone numbers as smartphones spread, especially in developing countries.