# <center><i class="fa fa-edit"></i> 1.4 Public Keys as Identities </center>
###### tags: `Blockchain`
The following notes are taken from [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/learn/cryptocurrency/home/week/2)

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:::info
**Trick: Treat pk as the identity**
:::

### Making a New Identity
- Create new random key-pair (sk, pk)
- Usually better to hash pk -> `H(pk)`
- You control the identity (sk) if pk looks random
- No one needs to know who you are

### Decentralized Identity Management
- Anyone can make new identity at any time and as many as possible
- No central point of coordination

**identities -> "addresses" in Bitcoin**

### Privacy
**Pro**
- Addresses not connected to real world identity

**Con**
- Observer can link together an addresses over time, making inferences