Opinion by: Shady El Damaty, co-founder of Human.Tech

Beyond the hype of accelerationist and technophile circles, a quiet crisis of confidence is taking hold in emerging technologies.

Crypto and decentralized identity solutions still carry enormous potential to empower individuals and distribute power — but many builders and users are sounding the alarm. Their disillusionment stems from real concerns: surveillance overreach, centralization disguised as innovation and tools that serve power, not people.

This conversation is no longer theoretical. From deepfake scams and AI impersonation to state-backed biometric ID proposals and the EU AI Act, digital rights are being defined in real time, often without public consent.

In this climate, the…