Fix media type registration language

[msporny]

The media type registration language in the current specification is a bit wonky. It says:

This specification registers the application/credential+ld+json MIME Media Type specifically for identifying documents conforming to the Verifiable Credentials format.
...
Note that while the Verifiable Credentials format uses JSON-LD conventions, there are a number of constraints and additional requirements for Verifiable Credential implementations that justify the use of a specific media type.

We should be clear if we're talking about "Credentials", "Verifiable Credentials", or "the Verifiable Credential Data Model".

[msporny]

Keep in mind that we might have an application/verifiable-credential+ld+json and application/verifiable-presentation+ld+json media type incoming (or not!), so the language might have to reflect that as well. With that in mind, how about something like this:

This specification registers the application/SOMETHING media type for identifying conformant documents (link to document conformance section of the specification) that express a (credential|verifiable credential|presentation|verifiable presentation).
...
Note that while the Verifiable Credentials Data Model uses JSON-LD conventions, there are a number of additional constraints and requirements that justify a specific media type.

[TallTed]

I've said things like this elsewhere, but those seem to be closing with this to track the ongoing, so...

I'm fine with one media type being used for both Verifiable and UNverifiable Credentials, and that or another single media type being used for both Verifiable and UNverifiable Presentations.

Whether the media type(s) is(are) branded "Verifable" or not, the specified structure should allow for the presence or lack of the proof(s) necessary for that verifiability, which presence or lack is what determines whether the data contained in the structure is or is not verifiable.

[OR13]

IIRC this has been done, and can be closed.

[iherman]

The issue was discussed in a meeting on 2023-06-06

• no resolutions were taken

View the transcript

1.11. Fix media type registration language (issue vc-data-model#1052)

See github issue vc-data-model#1052.

Phillip Long: close it!

Brent Zundel: This looks like it has been addressed, pending close?

all: No objections.

[brentzundel]

No objections raised since marked pending close, closing.