# About Certified Certified is the sign-in service behind Ma Earth and other regenerative platforms in our network. When you create an account on Ma Earth, you'll receive a Certified ID—a secure and portable universal ID that functions across platforms working on regeneration. *Think of it like "Sign in with Google" or "Sign in with Apple." Except, with Certified, you own your data.* #### How does Certified work? **Every organization gets a unique, permanent identifier** Every (individual) user and organization receives a unique, permanent identifier when it creates an account on Ma Earth or partner platforms (think of it like a universal ID card for the internet). The organization owns this identity and can manage its own profile across platforms. That permanent ID never changes, even if you switch platforms or update your username. [**Your Certified identity works across:**](#user-content-fn-1)[^1] * Ma Earth (funding for community-led regeneration) * GainForest (ecosystem monitoring) * Bluesky (a decentralized social network) * Other platforms built on the AT Protocol Create your profile once. Use it everywhere you choose. **Your data follows you.** Your projects, reputation, and work history are tied to your identity—not locked into any single platform. If you move to a different platform, everything comes with you. #### Why Certified? Ma Earth is built on the belief that data should serve communities, not platforms. Certified makes this possible by: * **Sovereign Data:** Giving you ownership of your data. Your profile, reputation, and work history belong to you. * **Decentralization:** Distributing power across the network. No single company controls how data flows. * **Interoperability:** Making your work portable. As more regenerative platforms build on AT Protocol, your history and reputation travel with you. * **Open Protocol:** Building on open infrastructure. Anyone can build on the same protocols, supporting collaboration across the regenerative ecosystem. *** #### What about my data? **Private information** (passwords, email, precise locations, financial details, [additional documentation](/resources-for-land-stewards/project-profile/additional-documentation.md)) stays private on Ma Earth's servers. **Public information** (organization name, public project descriptions) is stored on Certified's infrastructure using the [AT Protocol](/ma-earth/our-technology/at-protocol.md). **You control what's public.** You decide when to make your organization or project profile public. For example, you can keep your project profile private while preparing your application for a [funding round](/resources-for-land-stewards/about-funding-rounds.md), then [publish](/resources-for-land-stewards/project-profile/project-profile-visibility.md#what-happens-when-i-make-my-project-profile-public) when you're ready. **Can I delete my data?** Yes. You can delete your information from Certified's servers. However, like any public information on the internet, someone else may have made a copy—similar to how archived websites may be discoverable online, even after the original is taken down. [Learn more about organization profile privacy.](/resources-for-land-stewards/organization-profile/organization-profile-visibility.md#privacy-protection) [Learn more about project profile privacy.](/resources-for-land-stewards/project-profile/project-profile-visibility.md) **What if I don't want to keep my data in Certified?** You don't have to. You can move your data to another provider, or even into infrastructure your organization runs so your record of stewardship lives somewhere you and the people you trust control directly. Your identity and history come with you. #### Where can I manage my Certified profile? Everything is manageable through Ma Earth: your organization page, project pages, and account settings. If you want to explore your Certified profile directly, visit [certified.app](https://certified.app). *** #### Certified on AT Protocol Certified is building on the AT Protocol—the same open technology behind the decentralized social media app Bluesky—to make data about projects, reputation, and work history portable, and universally accessible. [Learn more about the AT Protocol](/ma-earth/our-technology/at-protocol.md). #### **Built by Hypercerts Foundation** Certified is developed and maintained by Hypercerts Foundation, which is building open infrastructure for evaluating, recognizing, and funding community-led regeneration. [Learn more](https://docs.hypercerts.org). In funding rounds, Ma Earth will integrate with [Hypercerts](/ma-earth/our-technology/hypercerts.md) to create verifiable certificates that record and recognize regenerative impact. [Certified](/ma-earth/our-technology/about-certified.md) provides the identity layer that makes this possible. [^1]: correct? also, are we happy referring to it as an 'identity' or better something simpler like 'login credentials' or account? --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://help.maearth.com/ma-earth/our-technology/about-certified.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.