An Interview With Khori Whittaker: On ENS, Decentralized Identity & Socials, and the Next Billion

Recently, I had the opportunity to connect with Khori Whittaker, the Executive Director at ENS Labs, creators of the Ethereum Name Service (ENS). Our conversation came at a particularly exciting time for web3—possibly on the cusp of a bull market—and for ENS, which is seeing important milestones like its recent partnership with GoDaddy. Khori shared his vision of the “new internet,” emphasizing the role of digital identity and the push toward user-centric platforms in shaping an inclusive digital future.

Khori, what exactly drew you into web3?

My personal and professional journey has always been one of learning—and teaching. Throughout my career, I’ve been at the intersection of business and education, managing schools in the US for most of the past decade. My interest in adopting new technologies early led me to blockchain in late 2017.

I started exploring how it could be applied in education, leading to exciting experiments with a blockchain-based student information system. This path then took me to Circle (USDC) where I engaged in a project focused on the talent side. It was then that I connected with Nick Johnson, the founder of ENS. We started talking, and one thing led to another.

Today, I really see web3’s potential in transforming the internet as we know it. It redefines how we manage ownership online, improves access to information and resources previously out of reach, and fosters inclusive innovation through decentralized technology.

You might hear me talk about Circle and ENS because both focus on breaking into mass adoption. On the monetary side, stablecoins like USDC or USDT allow you to send a transaction instantly and globally without going through all sorts of hoops. Once you experience that, you can’t go back.

Then there’s the identity piece. With ENS, you possess a personal identity that is not bound to any specific platform, allowing you to carry it across the digital space. You can use it for transactions, reputation proofs, as a web domain… you name it!

How do you see decentralized identity evolving in the future?

I hope that in the future, we won't even be discussing web3—it will simply be the new version of the internet. At ENS, our goal is to welcome people into this new era.

Currently, users' online identities are mainly stored and hosted on centralized servers controlled by major email and social media corporations. Web3 is about self-sovereignty and ownership. ENS gives users the freedom to carry their identities across platforms while maintaining their social graph and connections seamlessly as they move through digital spaces.

For example, I've used Farcaster and Supercast, maintaining the same social network on both. When Warpcast experienced downtime, Supercast remained accessible, showing the resilience of decentralized identities. So, I believe the newfound control and autonomy over one’s digital presence will profoundly affect users in the years to come.

What are some practical applications for digital identity?

Education is a good example. Imagine being able to add your academic records directly to your digital identity. If you're a college student or recent graduate and need to share your transcript, you often have to pay your institution a fee to send it. Instead, these records could be linked to your digital identity, giving you control over who accesses them. That’s a basic user right.

This extends to privacy enhancements we envision with zero-knowledge Layer 2 solutions. For instance, you could verify that you belong to a certain age group without revealing your exact age or share specific qualifications without disclosing all details. The same principle could apply to health and financial records.

What parts of web3 identity haven’t been solved yet?

One challenge is that we are still not really building for the next billion users. As a space, we are guilty of building for our niche little community over the past decade. This only works for tech-savvy users who are comfortable dealing with seed phrases and signing messages. It’s time we put the everyday person front and center.

The other challenge is getting platforms like Facebook and X to recognize decentralized identities. But will they? It’s hard to say. They're reaping significant benefits from owning all our information. Yet, there's hope that social media sites like Farcaster might gain more traction. It’s unlikely that the traditional platforms will be able to maintain their hold indefinitely, especially as people begin to explore and understand what’s possible in the decentralized space.

How does ENS think about onboarding this “next billion?”

In the web3 space, we're all envisioning the future—the possibilities of 2030 and 2040. Yet, it feels like we're still playing by the rules set in 2012. It's time to update our playbook.

The way we build our protocols and projects is crucial. I believe in moving from discussion to action. A key part of this action is establishing a digital identity for users, which is where ENS comes in. It's surprising to see so many new projects overlook the importance of a simple, user-friendly identity solution in favor of complex hexadecimal addresses. Identity solutions should be foundational, not an afterthought. Whether it's ENS or another service, the focus should be on prioritizing the user's needs from the start.

Also, we can’t just keep talking to ourselves in a bubble. For example, our partnership with GoDaddy, which introduced ENS-enabled domains to millions of users, is a step toward a wider audience. Now, whether the users are ready to take the leap is the question—but the road is paved and ready.

On our side, the adoption of ENS is growing, with hundreds of thousands already using .eth domains. The launch of Coinbase's cb.id subdomain service has expanded ENS usage to millions more. Similarly, Uniswap's introduction of uni.eth usernames saw significant uptake in just a few days. By collaborating with these large platforms to integrate ENS technology, we're extending its reach and making it a part of more users' online experiences. This enhances the users’ experiences and furthers adoption.

We need to create B2C applications that genuinely appeal to everyday consumers, craft B2B solutions tailored to current business needs, and initiate what I call B2G (Business to Government) efforts to optimize the operations of local, municipal, and national governments. Solving real needs in the real world will bring the next billion users on board.

Could these innovations ultimately help reshape societal values?

In many parts of the world, people often feel like bystanders in their own stories. They witness decisions made by governments and corporations without having a say, leading to a sense of helplessness.

Technology can shift our mindsets; our mindsets, in turn, can shape technology. I’m hoping that web3 will lead to a whole new way of approaching life. For example, by advocating for self-sovereign and decentralized identities, we can empower people to regain control and ownership.

Maybe you don't have to just accept what's happening to you or your community anymore. We can come together, drive change, and pool resources to foster communities and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) that push forward local initiatives. Thinking about concepts like network states, this is where societal change begins. It's about recognizing the power of collective action. This tech is not only about tearing down barriers but also about connecting people.

Can you share your approach towards Layer 2 protocols and their significance today?

Our strategy is grounded in active listening to the developers and the community, which informs our roadmap. A concern we’ve noted is the cost associated with domain registration and maintenance on Layer 1 networks. Even though a domain might only cost around $5, gas fees can go up to $25 or $30, which may discourage the user. And naturally, modifying your domain or adding records incurs additional on-chain fees.

The recent Dencun update on Ethereum has helped, but our goal is to reduce these costs even further to simplify and accelerate how users manage their digital identities.

What excites me about Layer 2 solutions is the opportunity to prioritize user experience from the outset. By considering what is lacking in current L1s and L2s, we can avoid those pitfalls. We're given a fresh start and ample time to craft something user-friendly that advances the protocol.

At ENS Labs and within our wider community, there's ongoing research into various Layer 2 technologies, including discussions with Arbitrum or Optimism, and even the prospect of creating a dedicated ENS chain.

Exciting! What are some other plans ENS has for the future?

Naming anything/everything! We believe in humanizing the digital space, naming everything from wallet addresses to smart contracts. Not many know that ENS already has the capability to name smart contracts. This allows users to interact with contracts more transparently, knowing exactly what they engage with.

Our vision extends to global adoption, making this intuitive naming system accessible worldwide and encouraging prominent organizations to integrate ENS names. We've already started making strides in this direction, such as our collaboration with the International Rescue Committee, facilitating crypto philanthropy with just a few clicks.

This year, our focus is sharply on Layer 2 solutions. We're looking to collaborate with leading players from the traditional web and economic sectors, including businesses, governments, and more. Our goal is to simplify the internet for the future while prioritizing safety, security, and ease of use.