In a world that’s becoming more digital every year, proving who you are online is a growing challenge. Today, we rely on usernames, passwords, and centralized accounts that are easily hacked or misused. But by 2025, this is changing fast. A new trend is emerging: self-sovereign identity, powered by blockchain technology.

A self-sovereign identity system gives people control over their own identity. Instead of depending on companies or governments to hold your personal data, you manage it yourself. Blockchain makes this possible by storing proofs of identity on a decentralized network. No one can change your data without your permission; only you decide who gets access to it.

Imagine logging into a website or signing a form without entering a password or handing over all your details. With a blockchain-based identity, your digital ID is verified on the network, but your personal information stays private unless you choose to share it.

Chains That Bind Us by Phillip G. Bradford explores how to build small blockchain systems that support these ideas. Using Raspberry Pis, you can simulate how digital identities could work on a decentralized network. The book gives simple, step-by-step instructions and real code examples to bring the concept to life.

Here’s how you can build a basic decentralized ID prototype using a Raspberry Pi:

What You Need:

• One Raspberry Pi (or virtual version)
• Python 3, Flask, and JSON libraries
• A unique identifier (name, email, or fingerprint hash)
• A simple blockchain script to store ID entries

Steps to Build:

• Create a user profile with basic data like name and email.
• Generate a unique identity hash using a cryptographic hash function (like SHA-256).
• Store the hash on the blockchain instead of the raw data.
• Let others verify the ID by matching their hash with the one on the chain.
• Grant access when needed by sharing only the data you choose, with consent.

This system lets you control your identity while letting others verify its authenticity. Schools could issue diplomas this way. Hospitals could store medical records with patient consent. Even voting systems could become more secure and transparent.

The power of Bradford’s Raspberry Pi exercises is that they show you don’t need a giant tech company to build real blockchain applications. You can simulate digital identity systems in your home or classroom, understand how they work, and see what’s possible in a decentralized future.

By 2025, digital identity will be more important than ever, and blockchain offers a way to do it right. If we teach these tools now and let people build and test them, we’re preparing for a future where identity is safer, smarter, and fully under your control.

You can read “Chains That Bind Us” for more information and insight into blockchains and their various aspects.

“Chains That Bind Us” is a comprehensive guidebook that offers a unique blend of theory and practice to help you understand the core principles of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. Laying out meaningful and easy examples, theory, and practical implications, this book explores the impact driven by cryptocurrencies. By giving you the knowledge and abilities to comprehend cryptocurrencies and their many aspects, “Chains That Bind Us” will enable you to move from being a passive observer to an active participant and enable you to put into practice cryptocurrencies for more stable and secure financial processes. Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1917007884/