Dear Proton Team,

I write with excitement about an idea for a project that feels like a natural evolution of your mission: a self-sovereign digital identity solution that puts power back in users' hands, not governments'. In a world where centralized ID systems are becoming the norm, Proton could lead the charge toward true digital freedom. Allow me to outline the urgent problem, a ready-made solution, and why you're uniquely positioned to make it happen.

The Problem: Centralized IDs as a Slippery Slope to Surveillance
State-backed digital IDs promise efficiency but deliver vulnerability and control. Take the UK's "Brit Card," announced in September 2025: a mandatory app-based wallet for work rights, housing, and benefits, backed by a central biometric database. It's already sparked a 2.5 million-signature petition from groups like Big Brother Watch, fearing mass surveillance and a "1984"-style society – especially in a post-Brexit landscape with weakened privacy laws. Critics warn of "function creep," where initial checks for immigration morph into tracking everyday movements.

Denmark's MitID offers a more mature example: a swipe-to-authenticate app that's integrated into 90% of public services, banking, and shopping. It's convenient, but its centralized infrastructure (tied to government and banks) creates a single point of failure. A cyberattack – like the 2018 NemID breach or a hypothetical missile strike on data centers – could paralyze the nation for weeks, halting payments, healthcare access, and more. Worse, it enables subtle overreach: Metadata logs of logins could profile citizens without consent, eroding the very privacy GDPR aims to protect.

These systems exacerbate broader issues: Voter fraud (e.g., duplicate identities in elections), exclusion during outages, and a chilling effect on free speech, as seen in UK's Online Safety Act prosecutions for online opinions. Billions are invested in these fragile fortresses, yet they centralize power in the hands of states and corporations – the opposite of empowerment.

The Solution: FreeID – Decentralized, User-Owned Identity on Blockchain
Imagine FreeID: A free-market-driven, blockchain-based Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) platform where users control their data fortress. Built on a resilient network (e.g., Ethereum or Polkadot for scalability), it uses zero-knowledge proofs to verify credentials – "I'm eligible to vote" or "I have right-to-work status" – without revealing underlying details. No central database means no honeypot for hackers or governments.

Key features:
Decentralized Resilience: Distributed ledger eliminates single points of failure; competes via open-source innovation from startups, ensuring rapid evolution (e.g., AI-assisted setup to solve early complexity).

Offline Backup: NFC chips or QR codes for verification without internet – perfect for crises, blackouts, or remote areas.

Voter Fraud Killer: Tamper-proof, anonymous voting integration: Prove eligibility once, cast a blockchain-secured vote, and enable real-time, auditable tallies without tracking who voted what. This could end stolen elections overnight.

Privacy by Design: End-to-end encryption aligns with Proton's zero-access ethos; users revoke access anytime, excluding state overreach.

As a free-market model, FreeID thrives on competition: Affordable tiers from privacy-focused apps, with seamless integrations for banking, travel, or e-government. It's future-proof – market forces guarantee user-friendly updates, outpacing stagnant state systems.

Why Proton? And Why Now?
Your non-profit pivot in 2024, open-source audits, and grants to projects like Tor position you as the trusted steward of digital rights. Integrate FreeID with Proton Pass for effortless onboarding, or Proton VPN for secure transmissions – it's a seamless extension of your ecosystem. Launch as an open-source pilot (perhaps via your community fund), starting small in privacy-forward markets like Switzerland or Denmark, then scaling globally. The impact? A blueprint for billions, dismantling surveillance silos and restoring trust in digital life.

This isn't just tech – it's a leap for human freedom. In an era of eroding rights, FreeID could be Proton's moonshot: Empowering individuals to own their identities, secure elections, and build resilient societies.