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Comment by zebrafish | Hacker News Reader

eh, i think technology can erase some of the need for human trust. Checksums, public/private keys, blockchain, etc. should all be able to handle verification of authenticity.

As a result, i'm sure we will soon have CAs for more than just https.

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I had at one time thought something similar, but in review, I think the weakest point is that such things become background noise to the initial reaction and join "References" as the newest proof of validity that never get properly vetted, as we often see with think-pieces that want to take on an air of authority. It's very simple to convince people right now with a reference to an article every other word, regardless of how reliable or even relevant each of the references actually is. The effect though is that the piece attains a state of legitimacy because "boy look at all those references", and disproving such a piece is far more difficult than writing one, with the research to break it down taking far longer, and with attention spans being more interested in whatever the piece is trying to push.

I fear that when we try to use thinks like Checksums, Pub/Private Keys, Blockchain, they're not going to be applied in a reasonable measure, nor will they be explained to audiences in an honest way, but instead simply be tacked on as a badge of legitimacy for the content, not as simply a validation of the source/transaction history.

>we often see with think-pieces that want to take on an air of authority. It's very simple to convince people right now with a reference to an article every other word, regardless of how reliable or even relevant each of the references actually is. The effect though is that the piece attains a state of legitimacy

[case in point this Youtube Video that's been making the rounds.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqFNbCcyFkk)

That mentality right there is dangerous. Yes, it is possible, but in practical execution it will be insecure. I see an active mentality to delegate responsibilities to software that should not be. Case in point: using facial recognition for authentication of services with access to one's finances. If anything, we need to realize the reliance on human trust increases with technology.

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