{
  "id": 450403,
  "title": "Zero-Knowledge Age Verification on Midnight: How Compact Enables Private On-Chain Data",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/zero-knowledge-age-verification-on-midnight-how-compact-enables",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-10T08:30:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/midnight-aliit/zero-knowledge-age-verification-on-midnight-how-compact-enables-private-on-chain-data-139g"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Midnight Network addresses privacy concerns in on-chain data verification by separating public and private states. Public state on the ledger only contains verification status, while private data remains on-device within the user's wallet. The network's Compact language simplifies the creation of zero-knowledge logic, enabling developers to write age verification functions without intricate cryptographic circuits. For instance, the AgeVerification contract checks if the difference between the current year and a user's birth year is 18, then updates the is_verified status on the public ledger. This process occurs entirely locally, with no raw birth year data ever leaving the user's wallet. Cryptographic proofs prove the verification without revealing sensitive personal information. By abstracting complex ZK mathematics into straightforward logic, Midnight allows for privacy-first decentralized applications, revolutionizing data ownership on the blockchain.",
  "summary": "How do you verify user eligibility on-chain without revealing sensitive personal identity data? Traditional KYC processes force an unwanted trade-off: transparency versus privacy. Exposing dates of birth or identity credentials directly on a public ledger introduces severe privacy and security risks. Midnight Network solves this dilemma through a clean separation of Public vs. Private State:…",
  "key_points": [
    "Midnight Network separates public and private states on-chain.",
    "Compact language simplifies zero-knowledge logic creation.",
    "AgeVerification contract updates verification status locally."
  ],
  "editors_take": "This development enables private on-chain data verification, allowing users to maintain control over sensitive information while still proving eligibility, a significant shift in data ownership on the blockchain.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}