Opinion by: Shady El Damaty, co-founder of Human.Tech
In addition to the hype of accelerators and the tech world, the quiet crisis of emerging technologies has swept.
Encrypted and decentralized identity solutions still have great potential to empower individuals and distribute electricity – but many builders and users are sending alerts. Their fantasies stem from real concerns: surveillance over-disclosure, centralized into innovative and capable tools, not people.
This kind of dialogue is no longer theoretical. From deep scams and AI imitation to state-supported Biometric ID Suggestions and I’m doingusually without public consent, define digital rights in real time.
In this climate, the question is not about embedding human rights into encryption systems, but how long we have to.
The root of the problem is not the technology itself, but the values embedded in its design. The future legitimacy of encryption depends on embedding human rights into its buildings.
Principles such as self-customer, universal personality and privacy should not be considered as optional characteristics – they must be a prerequisite for any system that claims to promote human freedom.
Redefine yourself and be human-centered
If we fail to incorporate ethical principles into the protocol now, then we risk recreating the same power dynamics Web3 to disrupt.
Self-customers have long been the cornerstone of encryption. The failure of concentrated communication – like those that lead to FTX crash – The availability challenges of many existing monitoring tools reveal a dangerous gap: Most self-customer solutions are not built for people;
To be viable at scale, next-generation custody must retain user control without sacrificing accessibility. If the target is real user authorization, lost keys, obscure interfaces, and fragile backups are unacceptable. The future of custody will depend on designs that balance security, simplicity and sovereignty.
Universal personality as a digital necessity
As robots become more convincing, AI-generated interactions flood the network, proving that you humans are becoming more complex and important. We need to verify human methods without compromising privacy or personal autonomy.
The state-operated biometric ID and company certificate systems pose serious risks. Instead, a dispersed and censored personality system must enable individuals to prove their humanity without surrendering. This is the foundation of trust, integrity and inclusion in the digital space.
Privacy must be the default value, not the patch
Surveillance, data breaches and behavior tracking are the legacy of Web2. Web3 has the opportunity and obligation to break this pattern. Privacy is often seen as an additional method rather than a built-in right.
Related: The real revolution in encryption is about humanity, not technology
Privacy by default refers to a design system that minimizes data collection, encrypts and retains autonomy in storing and using data. Visibility should never be the default value. Each system should start with the following premise: User protection is a feature, not a switch.
Solve risks without giving up responsibilities
Some critics argue that embedding values into systems can backfire and that moral frameworks can be adopted or politicized. This is a real question. This is still not an excuse to do nothing. Transparent system design, open governance and diversified consistency mechanisms can reduce this risk and help ensure that protocols are responsible to users, not just founders or investors.
Web3 provides tools that, if built responsibly, can decentralize control, empower communities and resist abuse. This potential can only be achieved if the builder consciously incorporates the rights into the agreement layer rather than attempting to revamp ethics after initiation.
We are at a turning point. Human rights are no longer considered external guardrails. They must become the internal operating principles of digital infrastructure. That is not a philosophical luxury; it must be designed.
The windows are open but narrow. If we want a digital future that serves humanity, it’s time to embed our value into code.
Opinion by: Shady El Damaty, co-founder of Human.Tech.
This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be considered legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent Cointelegraph’s views and opinions.