nends

Nends is a fictional decentralized identity protocol and data exchange standard introduced in contemporary worldbuilding as a solution to cross-platform authentication and credential sharing. The system centers on portable credentials called nends, which are cryptographically signed attestations that can be presented to services without exposing underlying personal data. Nends supports selective disclosure, revocation, and interoperability across diverse digital ecosystems.

Originating in the mid-21st century within the Global Digital Consortium, Nends was designed to address concerns about centralized identity providers and data siloing. The project emphasizes user control, privacy, and rapid credential exchange between compliant applications. In literature and media, the term has come to describe both the protocol itself and the set of practices that accompany it, such as wallet-based storage and attestation governance.

Technically, Nends relies on decentralized identifiers (DIDs), cryptographic keys stored in user wallets, and an end-to-end verification flow. Attestations are issued by verifiers and can be aggregated to form a trust bundle. Privacy features include zero-knowledge proofs for attribute verification and minimal data exposure. The protocol outlines a reference ledger abstraction for revocation and status checking while remaining compatible with existing identity standards.

Practically, Nends appears in fiction as a tool used by governments, corporations, and citizens to prove eligibility for services, access digital spaces, and share credentials with consent. It is described as enabling portable identity across platforms and reducing repeated verification steps.

Critics in-world highlight the complexity of implementation, governance of credential issuers, and reliance on secure wallets and client software. Debates focus on trust in verifier networks, data minimization, and potential for surveillance if governance is captured by powerful actors.