Do you remember The Jetsons, the futuristic family from the eponymous 1960s American animated sitcom? Disco, a metaverse company focused on consent-based digital identity, is working to create a similar vision for the metaverse. Evin McMullen, co-founder and CEO of Disco, explains that the concept of user-owned data is foundational to this vision. They had personalized experiences everywhere they went, said McMullen.
Disco wants to incentivize individual consumers to move their data from siloed, company-owned platforms to user-owned digital wallets. To do this, Disco is offering free swag to users who earn it, such as $1,208 hats and $2,416 T-shirts. McMullen calls this strategy a meme to help people grasp the potential of Web3 and feel inspired to take back control of their data.
Verifiable credentials offer an off-chain alternative to authenticate aspects of consumer data without publishing it publicly. This may help consumers prevent the mistake of putting sensitive information on chain, and lessen the risk of discriminatory practices.
Disco has opened up its API to beta testers, inviting them to create user-owned data backpacks containing credentials that they may choose to share or keep private. Individuals who have completed Disco onboarding and set up their data backpack can redeem their credentials at checkout for free merch, minus shipping and handling.
McMullen argues that it is essential for early Web3 builders to handle data sensitively. Building tools that can endanger others is not what we’re about at Disco, she said. It’s very important to introduce consent-first data.