Prototype for Privacy-Preserving Personalised Ad Targeting Using Cardano Smart Contracts for Data Sharing Consent and Partisia for Zero Knowledge Profila Data Compute (MPC) with Advertisers.

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Michiel Van Roey

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

michiel@profila.com

Additional applicants

Shawn Jensen

Luke Bragg

Kuba

Vlad

Mitchell

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

9

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

This prototype will conceptually deliver the anonymity of identity and the sharing of targeting data with zero data leakage, preserving the internet consumers privacy during ad targeting. The Project will be delivered with support from Partisia who have recently partnered with Cardano to bring ZK Compute / MPC (multi-party computation) Layer 2 capability to Cardano DApps. See the approach for Cardano integrations with Partisia here:

https://youtu.be/9P66CulrpMY

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Data tools

[METADATA] SDG rating

Profila is a Social Impact project as highlighted in the Sustainable ADA report. And Profila supports multiple SDGs.

1. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - By developing privacy-preserving ad targeting technologies, the project contributes to building resilient infrastructure and promoting sustainable industrialization.
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions - The project aims to enhance privacy and data protection, promoting accountable and inclusive institutions.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals - The collaboration between Profila, Partisia Blockchain, and Cardano demonstrates the importance of partnerships and cross-sector collaboration to achieve sustainable development.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

The proposed solution aims to address compromised user privacy in digital advertising by developing a privacy-preserving ad targeting system. Our approach combines zero-knowledge compute (ZKC), multi-party computation (MPC), and Cardano smart contracts to ensure data privacy and deliver personalized ads without relying on third-party cookies.

Our project will engage stakeholders such as Profila (a publisher web app), Partisia Blockchain (providing ZKC and MPC capabilities), and Cardano (leveraging smart contracts). These collaborations will enable us to build a robust system that safeguards user data while providing personalized ad targeting based on the IAB dataset.

To demonstrate the impact, we will develop a functional prototype showcasing a simple flow of the privacy-preserving ad targeting system. Additionally, we will measure the system's ability to deliver personalized ads without compromising user privacy. These efforts will validate the effectiveness of our solution and its potential to revolutionize the digital advertising industry.

Our solution stands out due to its unique combination of zero-knowledge compute (ZKC), multi-party computation (MPC), and Cardano smart contracts. This integration ensures privacy-preserving ad targeting, personalized ad delivery, and secure data handling. Unlike traditional approaches reliant on third-party cookies, our solution offers a privacy-enhanced alternative that protects user data while delivering relevant ads.

Various stakeholders will benefit from our solution. Users will experience improved privacy, as their personal information remains secure and anonymous. Advertisers will benefit from enhanced targeting capabilities and improved trust among users. Publishers will have a competitive edge by offering privacy-preserving ad services. Additionally, Cardano, as a blockchain platform, benefits from the adoption of its smart contracts in the ad tech industry, demonstrating the platform's versatility and expanding its reach.

This solution is important to Cardano as it showcases the platform's capabilities beyond traditional finance. It highlights Cardano's potential to address real-world challenges in various industries, such as digital advertising. By providing a privacy-focused and decentralized solution, Cardano establishes itself as a leader in promoting secure and ethical practices in the digital ecosystem.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Our proposed solution addresses the challenge by integrating multiple technologies, including Cardano and Partisia, to offer a privacy-preserving ad targeting system. By leveraging Cardano's smart contracts and integrating Partisia's multi-party computation (MPC) capabilities, we create a powerful solution that drives adoption and expands the use cases within the Cardano ecosystem.

This integration brings several benefits to the Cardano ecosystem:

1. Expanded Use Cases: By incorporating Partisia's MPC capabilities, we unlock new possibilities for privacy-preserving computations within the Cardano ecosyste

1. Cross-Blockchain Collaboration: The integration with Partisia showcases the potential for collaboration and interoperability between different blockchain platform

1. Enhanced Privacy and Security: The combination of Cardano's smart contracts and Partisia's MPC ensures a robust and privacy-enhanced ad targeting system

1. Industry Leadership: By integrating multiple technologies and facilitating privacy-preserving ad targeting, Cardano establishes itself as a leader in promoting secure and ethical practices in the digital advertising industr

In summary, our solution addresses the challenge by integrating Cardano and Partisia, delivering a privacy-preserving ad targeting system. This integration expands the use cases for Cardano, fosters cross-blockchain collaboration, enhances privacy and security, and positions Cardano as an industry leader in promoting secure and ethical practices.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

To measure the success of our project in the short term, we will consider the following simple measures for a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) implementation of one process:

1. PoC Completion: Successfully completing the development and deployment of the privacy-preserving ad targeting PoC within the specified timeline and budge

1. Functionality and Accuracy: Ensuring that the PoC demonstrates accurate and reliable ad targeting based on the IAB dataset, while preserving user privacy through the use of ZKCompute/MPC, and smart contracts for data consent.

1. User Feedback: Collecting qualitative feedback from users, including publishers, advertisers, and ad recipients, to assess their satisfaction with the personalized ad targeting experienc

Regarding scalability and industry adoption, we will consider the following qualitative feedback and considerations:

1. Stakeholder Feedback: Engaging with industry stakeholders, such as publishers, advertisers, and ad networks, to gather their feedback on the feasibility, effectiveness, and potential challenges of scaling the privacy-preserving ad targeting solution in real-world scenario

1. Industry Reception: Assessing the level of interest and enthusiasm from the digital advertising industry toward adopting privacy-enhanced ad targeting solution

1. Future Integration Opportunities: Exploring potential partnerships and integration opportunities with other industry players, such as demand-side platforms (DSPs) and supply-side servers, to facilitate seamless integration and adoption of the privacy-preserving ad targeting solution on a larger scal

By focusing on these simple measures and gathering qualitative feedback from stakeholders, we can assess the success of the PoC implementation and gather valuable insights on the scalability and potential adoption of the solution in the digital advertising industry. This feedback will guide future iterations and improvements to ensure the solution meets industry needs and drives widespread adoption.

The innovation of our privacy-preserving ad targeting system will positively affect Cardano's productivity and growth in both the short and long term:

1. Short-Term Impact: The introduction of a privacy-enhanced ad targeting solution will attract attention and generate interest from businesses seeking privacy-focused technologies. This will result in increased adoption of Cardano's ecosystem and drive short-term growth.
2. Long-Term Growth: As privacy concerns continue to rise and regulations become stricter, our solution positions Cardano as a leader in providing privacy-preserving ad targeting capabilities. This differentiation will contribute to Cardano's long-term growth as it becomes a trusted platform for businesses prioritizing user privacy.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

We have several plans to share the outputs and results of our project after final delivery and closure to ensure its impact reaches a wider audience:

1. Video Proof-of-Concept (POC): As a deliverable, we will create a video showcasing the functionality and effectiveness of our privacy-preserving ad targeting process

1. Addendums and Updates to Research: We will update and enhance our existing research on zero-knowledge advertising by incorporating the findings and insights from our project

1. Collaboration and Presentations: We will actively seek opportunities to collaborate with other researchers, industry experts, and organizations interested in privacy-preserving ad targeting

1. Communication Channels: We will utilize various communication channels, including our project website, social media platforms, and relevant forums, to share updates, insights, and the POC vide

By delivering a video POC, updating our research with project-specific addendums, seeking collaboration opportunities, and utilizing effective communication channels, we aim to disseminate the outputs, impact, and opportunities arising from our completed project. These efforts will contribute to the growth and adoption of privacy-preserving ad targeting solutions and showcase Cardano's capabilities in addressing real-world challenges in the digital advertising ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

We have the capability to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability. Our existing capabilities and partnerships demonstrate why we are well-suited to undertake this project:

1. Cardano Smart Contract Development: We have a dedicated Haskell/Plutus developer who possesses the necessary skills and experience in Cardano smart contract development. This expertise is crucial for effectively leveraging Cardano's blockchain capabilities, specifically Marlowe smart contracts, in the implementation of our solution.
2. Collaboration with Partisia: We have secured commitment from Partisia leadership to support, upskill, and assist our core development team in incorporating Partisia's MPC components into the project. This collaboration ensures that we can leverage Partisia's expertise in secure computation protocols, further enhancing the trust and reliability of our solution.
3. Commitment to Accountability and Transparency: We prioritize accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle. We will establish clear communication channels, provide regular progress updates, and adhere to best practices in project management. Additionally, we are committed to addressing any challenges or risks proactively, ensuring that the project stays on track and meets its objectives.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

Features and Functionality:

Data Preparation:

• Transform an IAB dataset (in this project we will use the IAB3 for Fashion & Style) into a format suitable for Zero Knowledge Compute/MPC and Cardano’s smart contracts.
• Identify relevant attributes and preferences to include in the persona-specific dataset.

MPC and Integration:

• Implement secure multi-party computation protocols to enable joint computations across multiple stakeholders.
• Utilize MPC to collectively compute functions or perform computations on persona-specific datasets while preserving privacy.
• Utilize smart contracts to enforce permissions and control access to the originating dataset.

Ad Targeting:

• Receive the ad recipient persona during the ad targeting process.
• Retrieve the relevant MPC, and smart contract permissions associated with the persona.
• Utilize the joint computations, and smart contract permissions for personalized ad targeting without direct access to the persona's dataset.

Privacy and Security:

• Implement strong data encryption and secure storage mechanisms for persona-specific datasets.
• Comply with applicable data protection laws and regulations.
• Conduct a privacy impact assessment to identify and address potential privacy risks.

Prototype Development:

• Develop a functional prototype demonstrating a single flow of privacy-preserving personalized ad targeting using Zero Knowledge Compute /MPC and Cardano’s smart contracts.
• Implement the minimum viable components for dataset preparation, MPC ad targeting data sharing, and smart contract permissions.

Evaluation and Testing:

• Conduct thorough testing and evaluation of the prototype's functionality, performance, and security.
• Assess the accuracy and effectiveness of personalized ad targeting while ensuring user privacy.

Deliverables:

Functional Prototype:

• A working prototype demonstrating privacy-preserving personalised ad targeting using MPC, and Cardano’s smart contracts.

Documentation:

• Documentation outlining the system architecture, implementation details, and usage guidelines.
• Privacy impact assessment report outlining the privacy considerations and risk mitigation strategies.

Evaluation Report:

• A report summarizing the evaluation and testing results, including performance metrics and ad-tech user feedback.

JUSTIFICATION FOR TECHNOLOGY SELECTION:

Cardano Smart Contracts:

• A domain-specific language built on Cardano's blockchain, enables the creation and execution of smart contracts with predefined rules and conditions.

• Utilizing smart contracts, the ad targeting system can enforce permissions for the creation and sharing of the originating dataset from the Profila platform.

• Smart contracts ensure that only authorized parties have access to the dataset, maintaining data privacy and control.

Multi-Party Computation (MPC):

• MPC is a cryptographic protocol that enables multiple parties to jointly compute a function while keeping their individual inputs private.

• By employing MPC, the ad targeting system can collaborate and perform computations on persona-specific datasets without sharing the raw data among stakeholders.

• MPC ensures privacy by allowing joint computations on encrypted or masked data, enabling secure decision-making without disclosing sensitive information.

• MPC enhances privacy and collaboration among advertisers, users, and other stakeholders by collectively determining personalized recommendations or ad relevance while maintaining data privacy.

To validate the feasibility of our approach, we will:

1. Perform a technical feasibility analysis to assess compatibility and integration of MPC and Cardano's smart contract
2. Develop a functional prototype for controlled testing and evaluation
3. Engage industry experts and stakeholders for feedback on practicality and real-world viability
4. Analyze costs and resources to ensure economic feasibility
5. Gather empirical evidence and expert feedback to identify challenges and make necessary adjustment

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1: Project Initiation

• Task 1: Project kickoff and team onboarding
• Task 2: Requirement gathering and analysis
• Task 3: Project planning and timeline development
• Task 4: Resource allocation and setup

Timeline: 2 weeks

Milestone 2: Design and Architecture

• Task 1: Design system architecture and component interactions
• Task 2: Define data preparation process and dataset transformation
• Task 3: Design MPC protocols, smart contracts
• Task 4: Design ad targeting mechanism with privacy-preserving features

Timeline: 4 weeks

Milestone 3: Prototype Development

• Task 1: Implement data preparation module for IAB dataset transformation
• Task 2: Develop MPC protocols/contracts
• Task 3: Develop ad targeting module with privacy-preserving features
• Task 4: Integrate Cardano's smart contracts for permissioning process

Timeline: 16 weeks

Milestone 4: Testing and Evaluation

• Task 1: Conduct thorough testing of the prototype's functionality and performance
• Task 2: Evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of personalized ad targeting
• Task 3: Address any identified issues and make necessary improvements

Timeline: 4 weeks

Milestone 5: Documentation and Reporting

• Task 1: Prepare technical documentation outlining the system architecture and implementation details
• Task 2: Document the usage guidelines for the developed solution
• Task 3: Create a privacy impact assessment report addressing privacy considerations and risk mitigation strategies
• Task 4: Prepare an evaluation report summarizing the testing results and user feedback

Timeline: 3 weeks

Overall Project Timeline: 9 months (36 weeks)

• Note: The timeline provided assumes resources are allocated at 50% capacity. Adjustments may be made to the timeline based on the progress and availability of resources.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1: Project Initiation

Deliverables:

• Project kickoff and team onboarding completed
• Requirements gathering and analysis report
• Project plan and timeline document

Intended Outcome:

• Establish project readiness and alignment with stakeholders

Milestone 2: Design and Architecture

Deliverables:

• System architecture design document
• Design specifications for data preparation, MPC, smart contract and ad targeting

Intended Outcome:

• Provide a blueprint for solution development

Milestone 3: Prototype Development

Deliverables:

• Functional prototype demonstrating privacy-preserving personalized ad targeting
• Developed modules and components for data preparation, MPC, smart contract and ad targeting

Intended Outcome:

• Showcase feasibility and effectiveness of the solution

Milestone 4: Testing and Evaluation

Deliverables:

• Testing and bug-fixing reports
• Evaluation report summarizing functionality and performance

Intended Outcome:

• Ensure reliability and assess performance of the solution

Milestone 5: Documentation and Reporting

Deliverables:

• Technical documentation outlining system architecture and implementation details
• Usage guidelines
• Privacy impact assessment report
• Evaluation report summarizing testing results

Intended Outcome:

• Provide comprehensive documentation and reporting of the project

Measurement:

• Successful completion of project milestones and deliverables
• Stakeholder feedback and acceptance
• Evaluation of prototype's performance and user satisfaction

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Total Budget for 9-Month Project: $95,000 (representing 330.000 ADA at the time of this proposal)

Milestone 1: Project Initiation

• Total Budget: $11,250

Milestone 2: Design and Architecture

• Total Budget: $16,200

Milestone 3: Prototype Development

• Total Budget: $43,200

Milestone 4: Testing and Evaluation

• Total Budget: $24,350

• 1 Web3 Developer: $1000 per day
• 1 Junior Web3 Developer: $750 per day
• 1 Project Manager: $500 per day

Please note that the percentage availability and rates for each resource will be adjusted to ensure the project stays within the $95,000 budget (representing 330.000 ADA at the time of this proposal).

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of the project represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem due to the expertise of the team, utilization of cutting-edge technologies, potential for industry adoption, and long-term impact on privacy and data protection. The investment is justified by the value and impact it brings to Cardano.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept