How do I sign a PeerBadge for someone?

Signing a PeerBadge means you are vouching for someone: that they are one real person, and how far you trust them. It takes a couple of minutes, and it is meant to happen in person.

To sign, open the PeerBadge mini app inside your Fedi app. If you don't see the PeerBadge mini app, you can manually add it by following the steps on How can I add, remove, and hide mini apps?

Switch your PeerBadge role from Holder to Signer by tapping on your profile icon > Your Role > Signer. Then, go back to the main PeerBadge screen.

1. The first time you go to the main PeerBadge screen as a Signer, it asks you to generate your Signer Keys. Note that the generation process may take up to 10 mins.
2. Once you have generated your Signer keys, tap on the Give a PeerBadge option and choose the level of trust each badge carries (Trusted or Basic) – it is a label you set, not something the app works out for you.
3. Once selected, show the person your first code or copy the code and share it with them.
4. Once they scan it, it will turn into a request with a new code on their side. They will share that code back to you.
5. Scan or paste their request code, sign it, and show them the third code. They will scan or paste it, and the badge will be theirs.

Note that you will not learn whose badge you just signed. Your device only ever sees a scrambled request, so your own activity list records the badge type and the date and nothing more. That is the privacy working as intended, and it has one practical consequence: the app cannot tell you whether you have already badged someone, so keep your own record if that matters to you.

Keep in mind that the three codes carry no secrets and can safely be sent as text. Also, the request itself carries no identity either. If your first code reaches someone other than the person in front of you, a stranger can claim the badge and you will never know. To keep things secure, it is recommended to do the process in person rather than forwarding it on.

A finished badge belongs to its Holder alone and should not be forwarded – anyone holding it can present it as theirs.

Remember, every badge you sign carries your name as its Signer, so your judgement is on the record. A badge can also be revoked if the trust you granted turns out to be misplaced.

If Someone Needs to Trust the Badges You Sign

Software that checks badges – the Fedi app's guardian selection, for instance – has to be told which Signers it trusts. That is done by handing over your signer authority, which is public information rather than a secret.

From PeerBadge, tap the three dots and tap refresh, then tap the user icon at the top right. With the Signer role selected, tap Export data, then Export signer authority. That produces a badge-issuer-authority.json file to pass on.

Keep in mind that exporting your signer authority is not a backup. Backing up your Signer identity is a separate job – see the backup article.