Session Date/Time: 22 Jul 2025 15:00

diem Working Group Meeting Minutes

Summary

The diem (Digital Emblems) working group held its first official meeting after being chartered. The session focused on reviewing the proposed use cases and requirements document structure, presented by Rahel Feinstein and Felix Linker. The working group discussed five main use cases: Red Cross/Red Crescent/Red Crystal emblems, Blue Shield emblems, press protection, OPCW chemical transit protection, and Ramsar wetlands protection. Key discussions centered on stakeholder engagement, scope limitations, and document structure. The working group conducted three consensus polls to gauge preferences on stakeholder participation requirements, inclusion of partial-scope use cases, and prioritization approaches.

Key Discussion Points

Use Cases Presented

Humanitarian emblems: Red Cross, Red Crescent, Red Crystal for medical personnel and assets
Cultural protection: Blue Shield emblem for culturally significant assets
Press protection: Digital emblems for journalists and press equipment as non-combatants
Chemical transit: OPCW protection for sensitive chemicals in transit with selective disclosure
Environmental protection: Ramsar wetlands with geographic querying capabilities

Requirements Analysis

Common requirements across use cases: authenticity, authorization, removability
Specific requirements: undetectable validation, selective disclosure, geographic querying
Distinction between requirements fully within initial charter scope versus those requiring future rechartering

Scope and Charter Limitations

Initial charter limits technical mechanisms to DNS-based solutions
Debate over including use cases that extend beyond initial scope
Discussion of physical objects versus digital-only assets
Concerns about "boiling the ocean" versus being comprehensive for future work

Stakeholder Engagement Concerns

Strong emphasis on need for stakeholder participation, particularly for press use case
Article 19 raised concerns about potential risks to journalists from digital emblems
Discussion of challenges in engaging "attackers" who might review emblems
Need for risk assessments and extensive consultation across different regions

Document Structure Options

Debate between single comprehensive document versus multiple use-case-specific documents
Preference emerged for single document to identify patterns and requirements overlap
Agreement on need to clearly mark which requirements are within initial scope

Decisions and Action Items

Document Approach

Decision: Proceed with single comprehensive use cases and requirements document
Action: Authors (Rahel and Felix) to create new consolidated draft incorporating feedback
Guideline: Focus working group discussion time on requirements covered by initial scope while not preventing inclusion of non-controversial out-of-scope requirements

Stakeholder Engagement

Action: Chairs to continue outreach efforts to bring more stakeholders, particularly press organizations and potential "attackers"
Action: Encourage stakeholder participation through mailing list for those unable to attend meetings
Requirement: Each use case must demonstrate reasonable stakeholder evaluation and support

Scope Clarification

Decision: Include dangerous forces and civil defense emblems (recognized under international humanitarian law)
Guideline: Include use cases with partial scope coverage if the in-scope requirements provide useful functionality
Action: Authors to clearly mark which requirements are within initial charter scope versus future scope

Next Steps

Authors will produce new consolidated use cases and requirements draft for working group review
Continued outreach to stakeholders, particularly for press and environmental protection use cases
Mailing list discussion to refine requirements and provide text suggestions
Focus on developing consensus around requirements that fall within initial charter scope
Future architecture document will follow once use cases and requirements achieve consensus

The working group demonstrated good collaborative discussion and established a clear path forward for the first deliverable while acknowledging the need for continued stakeholder engagement and careful scope management.