Filename: 101-relay-operator-alternate-identity.md
Title: Broadcasting Relay Operator Alternate Identities
Author: Jim Toth - jim@memeticblock.io, Slava Mushyaokv - slava@memeticblock.io, Andrzej Tuchołka - andrzej@memeticblock.io & ATOR Labs LLC
Created: 2023-07-18
Status: Draft
This document describes the format by which Relay Operators may broadcast alternate identity addresses including, but not limited to, social networks, blockchain identities.
Relay Operators often elect to include additional identifying information about themselves. This information is currently broadcast via the Contact field. With the amount of possible identity addresses and formats available, some Relay Operators have begun to include dozens of possible identities. There seem to be a set of common yet non-standard practices and tools for all kinds of information stored in the Contact field.
Additionally, unique identification of the relay using digital means may not always be linked to the intention of the Relay Operator to be contacted via such identities. For example, a Relay Operator broadcasting their Bitcoin address may not necessarily intend to be contacted in this manner.
If the alternate identity is a cryptographic one, this proposed information could constitute half of an identity linking protocol as it would be signed by the relay's signing keys.
Thus, a new field or format of field is proposed that Relay Operators may opt-in to use and broadcast as Extra Information. Proposed approach is motivated by:
- the need to satisfy growing demand in providing additional identity addresses,
- the need to sanitize content of the Contact field,
- the need to be able to match the growing number of networks hosting alternate identities of the relay operators.
Any additional information broadcast by a relay is potentially de-anonymizing information. Relay Operators should be aware of any potential operational security risks and de-anonimizing information they elect to broadcast from their relays.
As of today, many Relay Operators already elect to broadcast this information - albeit in a cumbersome place (the Contact field) and across varying formats, making it increasingly difficult to parse.
Add an additional field titled Alternate Identities to the information broadcast by Relays.
More than one alternate identity may be broadcast.
One alternate identity per line.
Optional label to indicate source of alternate identity in format [label]: [identity]
In case of blockchain networks, the label should be the Ticker Symbol to avoid ambiguity and naming collisions.
Alternate Identities
eth: 0xaAaAaAaaAaAaAaaAaAAAAAAAAaaaAaAaAaaAaaAa
btc: bc1aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
twitch.tv: da_relay_operator
aol.com: dat_relay_operator