The Optimism Show

In this episode of The Optimism Show, Kris Gligoroski talks with Philip Sheldrake, a professional engineer and social science researcher, to discuss how Web3's approach to digital identity is deeply flawed and what we can do to fix it.

Unlike traditional identity models, Web3 is unintentionally recreating bureaucratic structures, which could lead to surveillance risks, limited agency, and centralized control over decentralized systems. Philip breaks down why this is happening, the dangers of reusable KYC & social graphs, and how we can take a more human-centered approach to identity with solutions like Addresso.

(00:07) How Web3 is getting identity wrong
(01:01) Philip’s background & experience across Web1, Web2, and Web3
(04:00) Why digital identity today is based on outdated bureaucratic models
(07:32) The hidden risks of treating identity as a rigid system
(10:39) How Web3 unknowingly recreates Web2 surveillance structures
(14:34) Identity as a verb vs. a noun—rethinking our assumptions
(19:04) The dangers of reusable KYC & its long-term consequences
(26:58) Why universal social graphs don’t mimic real human behavior
(33:42) How we can design identity systems that actually serve people
(39:55) Introducing Addresso: A human-first approach to Web3 identity
(45:05) Why local storage matters & how it protects your identity
(50:19) Final thoughts & how to connect with Philip

Connect with Philip:

Try Addresso: https://addresso.com/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/Sheldrake
Farcaster: https://warpcast.com/sheldrake

Connect with Kris:
Farcaster: https://warpcast.com/thekris
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/thekrispartner

📩 For sponsorships and collaboration: Email: pod@optimism.show

This episode does not constitute financial or legal advice. Web3 identity systems carry risks. Always do your own research (DYOR).