Integrity and trust
Checking which bytes were committed is a narrower claim than deciding whether a service is trustworthy.
Integrity is about whether information matches an expected representation. Trust involves a decision about relying on a person, service, or system for a particular purpose.
A content hash can check whether a retrieved Agent Card matches the bytes committed in a registry. That is useful, but it does not check the accuracy of the card’s claims or the quality of the service.
Name the check
When an interface says “verified,” it should be possible to ask what was verified:
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Control of an address?
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A signature on a message?
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A match between retrieved bytes and a committed hash?
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A demonstrated service outcome?
Each answer supports a different conclusion. Keeping the check visible helps the caller decide what further evidence is needed.
Related project note: Discovering a service with Concourse.