Layer 2's and an API for humanity, ie. Popular Consensus

mstrbstrd · July 11, 2023, 3:11am

For the past year I have been obsessed with the idea of creating an open and permission-less, public polling platform and data repository… A Decentralized Public Utility, built upon Ethereum, and basically acting as an API for Humanity. I have a massive proposal that I’ve been working on and I just lack some of the really low level technical expertise to know how to start it, so I found this community and come to you asking for your honest opinion.

Popular Consensus: Seeking the Wisdom of the Crowd

By Shaedan Hawse & GPT-4 on May 18, 2023

Popular Consensus: Seeking the Wisdom of the Crowd

–The following was written by Shaedan Hawse and GPT-4

Proposal for “Popular Consensus”: A Decentralized Public Utility

Executive Summary

Picture a lively county fair, filled with laughter and joyful excitement. At the center of this vibrant scene is a compelling challenge that intrigues festival-goers — a sizable glass bubble filled to the brim with colorful candied popcorn. The task is deceptively simple: estimate the number of these enticing kernels, and the entire lot could be yours. As attendees from diverse backgrounds offer their wildly varied estimates, an extraordinary pattern emerges. The average of these numerous estimates, despite each individual guess’s inaccuracy, astonishingly approaches the true count. This scenario encapsulates the power of collective intelligence, an emergent phenomenon suggesting that when diverse perspectives combine, we can solve complex problems with surprising accuracy. This concept, known as the “Wisdom of the Crowd,” is the inspirational force behind the “Popular Consensus” platform.

Today’s world is laden with societal challenges — polarization, mistrust in digital platforms, and the ethical quandaries introduced by artificial intelligence. These issues can be equated to the task of estimating the popcorn kernels. They are complex problems that are best addressed not by individual judgments, but by an aggregate of diverse insights and perspectives, much like the fair-goers and their popcorn estimates. This is the central role that ‘Popular Consensus’ aims to fulfill.

‘Popular Consensus’ is an innovative platform engineered to harness collective intelligence, mirroring the wide-ranging perspectives present at the fairground. By employing blockchain technology for enhanced transparency and security, coupled with artificial intelligence for balanced representation, it aims to create a democratic process that allows diverse perspectives to influence the rules of AI systems. However, ‘Popular Consensus’ is not intended to be a universal solution for decision-making. Instead, it serves as a versatile tool, akin to an API, to be used by individuals, communities, municipalities, governments, corporations, and even artificial intelligences to seek the popular consensus on a given topic.

‘Popular Consensus’ seeks to represent more than just the amalgamation of collective wisdom. It aspires to embody the grant’s goals of inclusiveness and representativeness, as well as the empowerment of minority opinions. This platform creates an inclusive space where every voice, no matter how marginalized, can be heard, and every opinion, however diverse, can contribute to the collective decision-making process.

Our mission with ‘Popular Consensus’ is to bridge societal divides and transform a cacophony of differing voices into a harmonious symphony of collective wisdom. By fostering an environment of respect and understanding, and by empowering every voice, no matter how marginalized, this platform creates an inclusive space for diverse perspectives to contribute to the collective decision-making process. We anticipate a ripple effect, encouraging users to seek common ground, appreciate differing viewpoints, and contribute to a more tolerant and united society. ‘Popular Consensus’ is more than a platform; it’s a movement towards a more inclusive, balanced, and empathetic society. We invite you to join us on this transformative journey as we redefine public discourse and decision-making in the digital era. Together, we can unlock the extraordinary power of collective wisdom, one voice at a time.

Overview of Popular Consensus:

Concept and Function: Popular Consensus is a transformative platform that democratises decision-making, striving to become a Decentralized Public Utility. Anchored in blockchain technology, it offers transparency, security, and balanced representation of perspectives. It serves as a resource for individuals, communities, municipalities, governments, and corporations to gauge public opinion on various topics.

Inclusiveness, Representativeness, and Empowerment of Minority Opinions:

Diverse Engagement and Minority Representation: Popular Consensus is dedicated to ensuring that a broad spectrum of voices are heard and considered. It implements strategies to encourage participation from individuals from diverse backgrounds and various familiarity levels with AI systems. This includes but isn’t limited to outreach programs and collaborations with various societal groups and organizations.
Fair Representation: It ensures that minority opinions are not overshadowed, and every voice, no matter how small, is amplified and influences the process.

Robustness and Effective Moderation:

Proof of Personhood: To maintain the integrity of the platform, a Proof of Personhood protocol will be implemented. This could be achieved by creating a proprietary Proof of Personhood or leveraging existing solutions such as WorldCoin’s World ID. This unique user verification method helps mitigate issues related to fake accounts and trolling.
Token Curated Registry: The platform will employ a Token Curated Registry (TCR) to encourage community-led governance. Users are incentivised to curate content and maintain the platform’s integrity, with rewards for promoting high-quality content and penalties for false or harmful information.
Growth Impact: With the increase of genuine user participation, the influence of non-genuine accounts decreases, ensuring the platform’s robustness.

Scalability:

Virtual Engagement: As an entirely virtual platform, Popular Consensus allows for broad engagement and easy scalability. With growing participation, the platform’s processes become increasingly effective.

Evaluation:

Evaluation Metrics: The platform’s effectiveness will be measured using metrics such as user satisfaction, shifts in polarisation, and engagement levels.

Legibility and Trust:

Transparency and Trust: Leveraging the inherent transparency of blockchain technology, Popular Consensus ensures a trustworthy decision-making process.

Actionability:

Informing Decisions: The consensus obtained from the platform will be actionable and designed to effectively inform various decision-making processes.

Problem Statement

The digital transformation of the 21st century has opened up a world of possibilities, reshaping societies and how individuals interact. Despite these numerous benefits, this new digital era has introduced complex challenges, often threatening societal harmony, personal privacy, and the sanctity of public discourse. To address these growing concerns, we propose “Popular Consensus” - a comprehensive solution targeting three interrelated problems: societal polarization, the growing mistrust in social media platforms, and the ethical quandaries posed by artificial intelligence.

Societal Polarization

The intensification of societal polarization, wherein public opinion diverges towards extremes, has become a significant concern in recent times. Instead of nurturing balanced discourse, many digital platforms inadvertently create echo chambers, offering information that predominantly aligns with users’ existing beliefs. Engagement-driven algorithms used by these platforms prioritize sensationalism over truth, thereby promoting divisive content. This situation not only exacerbates societal divisions but also fosters misperceptions of public consensus, as radical viewpoints are amplified disproportionately. The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election provides a salient example, where polarized opinions and divisive rhetoric were amplified by social media platforms, resulting in a society plagued by deep divisions.

Distrust in Social Media Platforms

The trust in digital and social media platforms has significantly deteriorated over the past decade. Data privacy violations, misuse of personal information, the spread of misinformation, and opaque content algorithms have all contributed to this decline. The Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 highlights these issues. It showed how the personal data of millions could be harvested without consent, spurring a global dialogue about privacy and trust in social media platforms. Trust serves as the bedrock of discourse; its absence impedes open and constructive dialogue, fostering skepticism and defensiveness.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence

While artificial intelligence (AI) offers immense potential, it also introduces complex challenges. Machine learning algorithms, potent yet lacking discernment, can inadvertently amplify biases embedded in their training data. This amplification perpetuates societal disparities and, in certain instances, exacerbates them. For instance, an AI trained on a biased dataset might continue to propagate these biases, skewing the perceived societal consensus. The lack of transparency in many AI models, often referred to as the ‘black box’ problem, breeds distrust and confusion. A clear illustration of this is the controversy surrounding the use of AI in judicial systems, where algorithms predicting future criminal behavior have shown bias against specific demographic groups.

These three interrelated issues pose a formidable barrier to creating a balanced, representative, and trustworthy digital public sphere. Existing solutions fall short, underscoring the need for a novel platform designed to address these concerns in a comprehensive and effective manner. Our solution, “Popular Consensus,” aspires to confront these challenges, leveraging cutting-edge technology and committing to principles of transparency, fairness, and inclusivity.

A New Proposition: Popular Consensus as an API for Humanity’s Opinions

Taking a step further, we envision “Popular Consensus” not merely as a platform but as an API that encapsulates the collective opinions of humanity. In a world moving swiftly towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), this API could serve as an indispensable reference point, enabling AGIs to access, understand, and respect human opinions across an array of topics. It’s akin to creating a digital ‘bill of opinions’, providing AGIs with a comprehensive understanding of human perspectives. This innovative concept can help ensure that AGIs take into account the complexity and diversity of human opinions while making decisions, further reinforcing the ethical application of AI.

Solution

Our solution, the “Popular Consensus” platform, represents an innovative approach to collective dialogue and decision-making. By combining cutting-edge technologies with robust ethical principles, it provides a comprehensive answer to the identified issues of societal polarization, mistrust in social media, and the predicaments brought about by artificial intelligence.

Blockchain for Transparency and Trust

The backbone of “Popular Consensus” is blockchain technology, which brings about unparalleled transparency and trust. With blockchain, each transaction is trackable, verifiable, and permanent, effectively negating the opaque operations typically linked with traditional social media algorithms. Such transparency underpins the rebuilding of user trust, mirroring the transparency found in the Bitcoin network, where every transaction is open for verification.

Decentralization for Inclusivity and Resistance to Manipulation

Embracing a decentralized model, the platform ensures that power and control are equitably distributed among users. This setup counters societal polarization by enabling every voice to be heard, irrespective of political or social standing. Decentralization also offers robust resistance to system manipulation by any single entity, thereby bolstering fairness and equality. The decentralized nature of the internet, which promotes freedom and inclusivity as no single entity has control, offers a fitting parallel.

Privacy-Preserving Technology for Data Security

To further cultivate trust, “Popular Consensus” employs sophisticated privacy-preserving technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs. Users can partake in vital discourse and vote on issues without fear of personal data misuse. Even while contributing to the broader societal conversation, their privacy remains intact, echoing privacy-centric platforms like Signal, where end-to-end encryption safeguards user conversations.

AI for Balanced Representation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is pivotal to “Popular Consensus,” albeit in a distinct way from traditional platforms. Rather than exploiting AI to boost user engagement - often leading to the promotion of extreme viewpoints - the AI within “Popular Consensus” is purposefully designed to foster balanced and inclusive representation. AI assists in recognizing and mitigating potential biases, ensuring that the platform remains an accurate mirror of collective opinions.

Incentivization for Engagement and Data Unions

To stimulate user participation, “Popular Consensus” introduces a token-based incentive mechanism. Users earn tokens by partaking in productive discussions, creating insightful content, or participating in decision-making processes. These tokens not only offer a sense of accomplishment but also play a role in platform governance, thus fostering a dynamic and engaged community.

Crucially, “Popular Consensus” also incorporates the concept of Data Unions. Users have the option to sell their tokens on the open market, thereby profiting from their engagement. Furthermore, users own the polls they create. If a poll attracts significant attention and accumulates millions of votes, the poll owner can choose to sell the data derived from that poll. This action generates a profit for both the poll owner and the individual voters, thereby creating a more equitable distribution of the financial benefits generated by the platform.

In summary, “Popular Consensus” serves as more than a mere platform; it’s a tool akin to an API, available to individuals, communities, municipalities, governments, corporations, or even AI, to seek the popular consensus on any topic. Designed as a public utility, it offers a common ground where the collective views of humanity can be accessed and understood, fostering a more balanced, inclusive, and empathetic society. With its incorporation of blockchain, decentralization, privacy-preserving technologies, AI, incentivization, and Data Unions, “Popular Consensus” offers a comprehensive and novel solution to the issues currently plaguing digital discourse. It paves a new path towards a more representative, trustworthy, and constructive digital public sphere.

Mission and Objectives

The mission of the “Popular Consensus” initiative is to democratize digital public discourse and decision-making by providing a transparent, inclusive, and trustworthy platform. This platform, underpinned by a Token Curated Registry (TCR), aims to empower individuals and communities at all levels - local, national, and global - by giving them a fair and equal voice in shaping narratives and making decisions, thereby acting as a conduit for the emergent property of collective wisdom.

The key objectives of the initiative are:

Promote Public Engagement: Encourage active participation from diverse sectors of society in the digital public sphere. This involves fostering an environment where people are motivated and equipped to contribute to discussions at all levels, from individual to global. Our long-term goal is to engage 70% of the internet-using population within the first five years. To achieve this, we aim to engage 10% of the internet-using population within the first year, focusing initially on internet communities and individuals posing questions.
Foster Constructive Dialogue: Create a platform that incentivizes productive, respectful, and insightful conversations, thereby enhancing the quality of digital discourse and combating the polarization and misinformation rampant in current platforms. Our long-term goal is to maintain a user-reported satisfaction rate of above 80% regarding the quality of discussions. To achieve this, we aim to see a 30% increase in constructive dialogue within the first year of operation.
Amplify Underrepresented Voices: Facilitate mechanisms to ensure that marginalized or underrepresented communities have equal opportunities to express their views and contribute to decision-making processes at all levels. Our long-term goal is to ensure that at least 30% of active users come from traditionally underrepresented groups within the first three years. To achieve this, we aim to have at least 10% of our user base from underrepresented communities within the first year.
Ensure Transparency and Trust: Establish a blockchain-based, decentralized platform where operations are transparent and verifiable, thereby building trust among users. Our long-term goal is to achieve a trust score of 4.5/5 in user surveys within the first two years of operation. To achieve this, we aim to have a trust score of 4/5 within the first year.
Protect User Privacy: Prioritize user privacy by implementing advanced privacy-preserving technologies, ensuring users feel safe while participating in public discourse. Our long-term goal is to have zero data breaches or privacy incidents. To achieve this, we will implement rigorous security measures from the outset and aim to have no privacy breaches within the first year of operation.
Safeguard Against Manipulation: Develop robust resistance against potential manipulation, using the inherent properties of decentralization and supportive technologies like AI to identify and prevent biased or unfair practices. Our long-term goal is to identify and mitigate any form of manipulation within 24 hours of its occurrence. To achieve this, we will establish a robust monitoring system from the outset to quickly identify and address any potential manipulation.

The Token Curated Registry (TCR) is a key component of our platform, empowering users to curate and moderate the platform content. In doing so, they have a direct stake in maintaining the platform’s integrity and legitimacy, which is crucial for achieving our mission and objectives.

Target Audience

The “Popular Consensus” platform is designed for all individuals who seek to engage in discourse, contribute to societal issues, or simply seek answers to their questions. It also targets organizations that are interested in understanding a balanced and comprehensive public opinion for research, policy-making, and other societal functions. This broad target audience includes:

General Public: Every citizen who wants to express their thoughts, perspectives, or ideas on various issues, or who has questions they want to ask the public, is a potential user.
Curious Individuals: People who have specific questions about any topic, from the mundane to the profound, can use the platform to seek the wisdom of the crowd.
Underrepresented Communities: The platform aims to amplify the voices of marginalized communities that are often overlooked in traditional media.
Academic Researchers and Policy Makers: These individuals can leverage the platform to gain insights into public opinion, fostering evidence-based policy-making and research.
Non-profit Organizations and Social Activists: These groups can use the platform to mobilize support, share their views, and engage with their audience in a transparent and constructive environment.
Companies and Brands: Organizations can utilize the platform to understand public opinion and sentiment regarding their products, policies, or general market trends, all within the ethical boundaries set by the platform.

Engagement Strategy

To reach and engage these different groups, we plan to:

Launch a Comprehensive Marketing Campaign: This will include social media outreach, partnerships with relevant organizations, and targeted advertising to raise awareness about the platform.
Host Community Events: Regular online and, when possible, offline events will be held to foster a sense of community, encourage engagement, and provide a platform for users to ask questions and share their experiences.
Provide Incentives for Participation: Through the token-based incentive mechanism, we will motivate users to participate actively in discussions and decision-making processes.
Partner with Educational Institutions and Non-profits: Collaborations with these organizations can help us reach academic researchers, policy makers, and social activists.
Offer Business Solutions: For companies and brands, we will offer tailored solutions that allow them to gain insights from the platform while respecting user privacy and platform ethics.

By focusing on these strategies, we aim to create a vibrant, active, and diverse community on the “Popular Consensus” platform.

Governance Model

The “Popular Consensus” initiative will employ a governance model that combines community-driven decision-making with strategic guidance from an appointed board of directors at first, with the goal of becoming a self-sustaining DAO. A key component of this model is the use of a Token Curated Registry (TCR), which incentivizes active participation and ensures quality control.

Board of Directors: The board will be responsible for the overall strategy and direction of the initiative. It will include experts from various fields, such as technology, social sciences, legal, and ethics, ensuring a balanced and holistic approach to platform development and operation. The initial board members will be selected by the founding team based on their expertise, experience, and commitment to the mission of the initiative. The board will make decisions through a majority vote, with each member having one vote. As the platform evolves towards a DAO, the community will gradually take over the selection of board members through token-based voting.
Community Governance: The platform will use token-based voting for key decisions, allowing active participants to influence the platform’s future direction. This not only incentivizes active participation but also ensures that the platform continually evolves to meet its users’ needs and expectations. The specifics of the voting process, including the weight of votes and the minimum participation threshold for a vote to be valid, will be defined in the platform’s governance policy. This is where the TCR comes into play, providing a decentralized mechanism for curating the platform’s content and decision-making processes.
Token Curated Registry (TCR): A TCR is a decentralized model that uses tokens to incentivize the curation of lists. In the context of our platform, the TCR will be used to curate content, moderate discussions, and make key decisions. Token holders will have a stake in maintaining the platform’s quality and integrity, as the value of their tokens is tied to the platform’s reputation. This creates a self-regulating system where users are motivated to act in the best interest of the platform.
Content Moderation: Content curation and moderation will be a community-led effort, guided by a set of clear and transparent rules. AI will be utilized to support this process, identifying potential issues that need human review. The community, through token-based voting and the TCR, will have the ability to revise and update these rules to ensure they remain relevant and effective.

Continuing on the next sections, Funding Sources, Legal Framework, Impact Assessment, and Implementation Plan will further elucidate the proposed structure and plan for the “Popular Consensus” initiative.

Funding Sources

The initial funding for the “Popular Consensus” initiative will be sought from a variety of sources, including grants, philanthropic donations, and possible early-stage investment from individuals or organizations that support the platform’s mission. This seed funding will cover the costs of the initial development, operational setup, and marketing efforts.

Grants: We will apply for grants from foundations and governments that support initiatives aimed at enhancing civic engagement, improving public discourse, or leveraging technology for societal benefit. We anticipate needing approximately $500,000 in grant funding for the first two years of operation.
Philanthropic Donations: We will reach out to philanthropic organizations, high net-worth individuals, and the general public who believe in our mission and are willing to make contributions to help kickstart the initiative. Our goal is to raise $200,000 through donations in the first year.
Early-stage Investment: We may also consider accepting investments from individuals or organizations that understand and support our long-term vision. These investors should align with our values and principles, particularly with respect to our commitment to maintaining user privacy, operating transparently, and prioritizing societal benefit over profit. We aim to secure $300,000 in early-stage investment within the first 18 months.

However, the long-term financial sustainability of the “Popular Consensus” platform will be designed around a self-sustaining model that operates at cost. Here’s how we plan to achieve this:

Data Union: With user consent, anonymized aggregate data can be sold through a Data Union. The revenue generated from this can be used to cover operational costs. Users will be able to opt-in or opt-out of this sharing, and their participation will not impact their ability to use the platform or its features.
Microtransactions: For certain premium features, small transaction fees could be introduced. These features could include in-depth analytics, advanced customization, or other enhancements that go beyond the basic free functionality of the platform. The goal here is not to create a paywall that restricts access, but rather to offer additional value that some users might be willing to pay for. These fees will be carefully balanced to cover costs without becoming a barrier to usage.
Sponsorships and Partnerships: Ethical sponsorships and partnerships could be another source of income. For example, organizations might sponsor public interest debates, educational programs, or other activities aligned with the platform’s mission. We will ensure that these sponsorships do not influence the platform’s independence or bias its content.

In implementing these funding sources, our guiding principle will be to prioritize the public good and user interests over profit. We will ensure complete transparency in how funds are used, and any surplus will be reinvested back into the platform to improve its functionality, accessibility, and overall user experience. We anticipate that the platform will become financially self-sustaining within five years of launch.

Legal Framework

The “Popular Consensus” platform will be established as a non-profit organization, specifically designed as a public utility for the benefit of the community. The legal framework will be designed to support our mission, facilitate our operations, and protect the rights and interests of all stakeholders.

Non-Profit Status: Registering as a non-profit entity will ensure our commitment to serving the public interest. In the United States, for instance, this would involve filing as a 501(c)(3) organization, which is exempt from federal income tax and allows for tax-deductible donations. The exact procedure and requirements will depend on the jurisdiction in which we incorporate.
Data Privacy and User Rights: Given that our operations revolve around user-generated data, the legal framework must be built around protecting user data and privacy rights. We will comply with relevant data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the U.S. Users will have full control over their data and will be able to opt-in or opt-out of data sharing with the Data Union.
Intellectual Property Rights: We will ensure that intellectual property rights are respected on our platform. Users who contribute content will retain the rights to their contributions, and we will implement measures to prevent unauthorized use or distribution of copyrighted material.
Governance and Accountability: As a decentralized platform, the legal framework must also address governance. We will establish a Board of Directors and develop a set of bylaws that lay out the governance structure, decision-making processes, and accountability measures. The blockchain technology itself provides a high level of transparency and auditability, which will help enforce these rules.
Risk Management and Liability: The legal framework will also cover risk management and liability issues. This includes developing policies for conflict resolution and dispute management, defining the platform’s liability in various scenarios, and ensuring we have appropriate insurance coverage.
Compliance with Local and International Laws: Finally, as we aim for a global presence, we will need to ensure that we comply with local laws and regulations in all jurisdictions where we operate. This will involve legal expertise in international law and may require us to adapt our operations and policies in response to different legal environments.
Token Regulation: As the platform will be using a token-based system for governance and incentivization, it’s important to clarify the legal status of these tokens. Depending on the jurisdiction, they may be classified as securities, commodities, or another type of asset, each of which comes with its own regulatory requirements.
Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) Laws: As the platform aims to transition into a DAO, it’s crucial to understand and comply with the emerging laws and regulations around DAOs. This includes the legal status of DAOs, the rights and responsibilities of token holders, and the legal implications of decisions made through decentralized voting.
Content Moderation and Liability: While the platform aims to be community-led and decentralized, there may still be legal considerations around content moderation, especially when it comes to illegal content or behavior. The platform will need to strike a balance between decentralization and compliance with laws such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) or Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in the U.S.
Cross-Border Data Transfers: As a global platform, “Popular Consensus” will likely involve transferring user data across national borders. This can be a complex area of law, particularly given recent developments like the invalidation of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. The platform will need to ensure it has a legal basis for these transfers, such as Standard Contractual Clauses or Binding Corporate Rules.

Impact Assessment

The impact of the “Popular Consensus” platform will be evaluated through a comprehensive approach that encompasses both quantitative and qualitative measures. This will allow us to assess how effectively the platform is addressing its mission and objectives, and to communicate these results to stakeholders and the public in a transparent and accountable manner.

User Engagement Metrics: Key performance indicators such as the number of active users, user retention rate, and user participation in discussions and voting activities will be regularly monitored. These metrics will provide insight into the platform’s ability to attract and engage users over time. For instance, achieving a user base representing at least 10% of the global internet-using population within the first year would be a significant milestone towards our larger goal.
Diversity of Opinions Represented: We aim to promote diverse viewpoints and foster a balanced discussion. Metrics such as the diversity of issues discussed, the representation of different demographic groups, and the sentiment analysis of discussions can help us gauge the platform’s success in this regard. A measurable goal could be to ensure that at least 10% of active users come from traditionally underrepresented groups within the first year, as a step towards our larger goal.
Constructive Dialogue and Dispute Resolution: One of our core objectives is to promote respectful and constructive dialogue. To measure this, we’ll use natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyze the quality of discussions. We will also track the number and outcomes of disputes resolved through the platform’s mediation system. A measurable goal could be to maintain a user-reported satisfaction rate of above 70% regarding the quality of discussions within the first year.
Impact on Public Discourse and Policy Making: To evaluate the platform’s broader societal impact, we’ll conduct periodic surveys and partner with independent researchers to assess how the platform is influencing public discourse and, potentially, policy making. This could include case studies where popular consensus on our platform has led to noticeable changes in public policies or corporate decisions.
Privacy and Data Security: Given our focus on user privacy and data security, we will also track incidents related to data breaches or unauthorized data access. The goal is to maintain these occurrences at zero, demonstrating the effectiveness of our data security measures.
Self-Sustainability Metrics: As the platform aims to operate at cost and achieve self-sustainability, we’ll monitor financial metrics such as revenue growth, operating costs, and the balance of donations/grants. These figures will help us assess the financial health and sustainability of the organization.
User Satisfaction and Trust: Finally, user surveys will be conducted to gauge user satisfaction and trust in the platform. These surveys can provide valuable feedback on various aspects of the platform, such as usability, perceived fairness, and effectiveness of the consensus-building process.

This robust impact assessment framework will allow us to monitor our performance, make data-driven decisions, and demonstrate our effectiveness to stakeholders and the broader public. We will regularly share these results with our community and stakeholders, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and accountability.

Implementation Plan

The implementation of the “Popular Consensus” platform will be conducted in a phased manner to ensure proper development, testing, and community building. Each phase is designed to address potential challenges and includes contingency plans to ensure the project’s success. Here are the main stages of our plan:

Phase 1 - Research and Development (Estimated duration: 6-12 months): This phase involves initial groundwork, including identifying key technological requirements, determining the legal structure for the non-profit organization, conducting market research to understand user needs, and developing an initial design for the platform. Potential challenges include technological constraints and legal complexities, which we plan to address by engaging experts in these fields from the outset.
Phase 2 - Prototype Development and Testing (Estimated duration: 12-18 months): During this phase, a prototype of the “Popular Consensus” platform will be developed. Key features like user registration, discussion forums, voting mechanisms, and data encryption will be built into this prototype. This version will be tested internally and with a select group of users to gather initial feedback. The main challenge in this phase is ensuring the platform’s functionality and user-friendliness. We will address this by incorporating user feedback into iterative design improvements.
Phase 3 - Community Building and Fundraising (Concurrent with Phase 2): While the platform is in development, efforts will be made to build a community around the platform. This includes outreach to potential users and stakeholders, generating awareness through social media and other platforms, and initiating fundraising efforts to secure financial resources for future phases. The challenge here is to build a diverse and engaged community. Our strategy includes targeted outreach and partnerships with organizations that align with our mission.
Phase 4 - Pilot Launch (Estimated duration: 3-6 months): A pilot version of the platform will be launched to a broader audience. This pilot phase will allow us to test the platform at a larger scale, gather more user feedback, and make necessary adjustments before the full launch. The challenge in this phase is to manage the scale of operations and ensure a smooth user experience. We will prepare for this by investing in robust infrastructure and a dedicated support team.
Phase 5 - Full Launch and Ongoing Operations (Starts after successful pilot testing): Following successful testing and any necessary modifications, the platform will be fully launched to the public. Ongoing operations will include continuous user support, platform maintenance and updates, community management, and impact assessment. The challenge here is to maintain user engagement and trust over the long term. We will address this by prioritizing user feedback, transparency, and continuous improvement in our operations.
Phase 6 - Iteration and Improvement (Ongoing): Based on user feedback, impact assessment, and emerging needs or opportunities, the platform will be continually updated and improved. This could involve introducing new features, improving existing functionalities, or scaling up operations to cater to a larger user base. The challenge in this phase is to keep up with evolving user needs and technological advancements. We will stay ahead of this by maintaining a culture of innovation and adaptability, and by staying engaged with our user community.

This phased approach will allow us to methodically develop and test our platform, ensure it meets user needs and expectations, and build a robust and engaged community. We are committed to learning from any challenges we encounter and turning them into opportunities for growth and improvement.

Conclusion

The “Popular Consensus” initiative represents an unprecedented approach to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time: polarization, lack of trust in media, and the urgent need for civic engagement tools that truly reflect the diversity of opinions in our society. By leveraging innovative technologies and structuring ourselves as a decentralized public utility, we aim to provide a robust, equitable, and secure platform for facilitating informed discussions and harnessing the power of collective decision-making.

Our aspiration is not just to build another social platform, but to facilitate a radical change in the way society engages in dialogue, participates in decision-making, and influences the trajectory of societal development. We aim to democratize the narrative, give voice to the unheard, and provide a trustworthy and transparent tool for gauging public consensus.

The path we’re embarking on is not without challenges. It requires significant effort, resources, and the collective will to challenge the status quo. But we believe in the transformative potential of the “Popular Consensus”. With your support, we can turn this ambitious idea into a tangible reality that can serve as a beacon of democratic participation and an accelerator of social progress in the digital age.

In conclusion, the establishment of “Popular Consensus” as a decentralized public utility represents a step towards a more engaged, informed, and empowered society. We invite you to join us in this endeavor as we strive to reshape societal discourse and decision-making for the greater good. Together, we can redefine democracy in the digital era.

—If you made it this far I want to thank you personally for making it this far. If you’d like to read other things that I think about please checkout popularconsumption.xyz
–mstrbstrd