May 15, 2025
Online discussion forums are a core pillar of the internet, fostering community growth, borderless connection, and often driving culture that reaches mainstream audiences. However, amidst the proliferation of AI agents, how can you be sure your forum is populated by real, verified humans?
At EthGlobal Taipei, Kevin Lin built SelfSphere to foster this community discourse with Self as the identity layer. As a Co-Founder of Taiwan-based developer collective XueDAO, Kevin blended his passion for community building with his interest in real-world blockchain applications to create a platform with topic-based forums. SelfSphere allows users to choose which passport attributes (e.g., nationality, gender, age) they reveal when posting or commenting, adding contextual identity while preserving user identity.
SelfSphere earned the first-place award for Best Offchain Integration, with Kevin receiving a $1,500 bounty to continue building the platform after the hackathon. Below, Kevin shares his inspiration for the platform and his vision for the future of SelfSphere.
What inspired you to develop SelfSphere?
At the beginning, we explored how Self could be integrated into popular mainstream platforms to spark interesting synergies. We considered fun and well-known apps like Tinder, Airbnb, and Reddit—thinking about how Self’s identity layer could unlock new possibilities in those contexts, like trusted skills exchange or private, verifiable communities.
Eventually, we decided to build a forum, not just because it’s easier to implement within a hackathon timeframe, but also because it’s a format where Self’s features can really shine. That’s how SelfSphere was born.
Why is identity verification a core pillar?
From day one, we knew we wanted to build something decentralized and privacy-preserving—no centralized platform, no traditional KYC. That made decentralized identity a must. With Self, powered by ZK, we could verify users while protecting their privacy. That became the foundation of SelfSphere.
Why did you choose Self for the identity layer?
Although I’ve explored ZK in the past, I’m not a ZK expert. But Self made ZK identity integration incredibly developer-friendly. It was a no-brainer to build with it, so why not?
What’s your vision for SelfSphere?
I imagine a space where people can engage in meaningful conversations—filtered, secure, and context-aware. Imagine a forum where only verified women can access the women’s area, or users from specific countries can share region-specific insights. With Self, we’re building not just for fun, but for real-world utility and social value.
Learn more about Self
Start with our Quickstart docs here.
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Self is a privacy-first identity verification platform designed for Web3 and universal apps.
Securely onboard Web3 users with private, trustless identity verification.
Enable Sybil-resistant polling for fair and transparent governance.
Check sanction lists to ensure compliance without exposing user data.
Facilitate wallet recovery with secure identity proofs.
