NuAuth: A ZK-protocol for verifying content authenticity & origin addressing misinformation and AI-Deepfakes

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Sricharan Ganta (nucast)

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Requested funds in ada

150000

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

4

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

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Our ZK based protocol registers media content, ensuring clear usage rights, authenticating content origin and access point, and facilitating fair compensation using smart contracts for IP holders.

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

No

[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.”

No dependencies.

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

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

The project will be open source under MIT License. This will allow anyone to do whatever they wish with the original code, as long as the original copyright and license notice is included either in the distributed source code or software.

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG Goals

8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

SDG Subgoals

17.19 - By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

9.1 - Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

9.b - Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Nuauth leverages the power of Cardano and Midnight ZK to create a secure and transparent protocol for:

Content Registration and Rights Management:

Media companies and individual content creators register content on the blockchain, creating a tamper-proof record of ownership. Media companies can register their content on the blockchain, creating a digital fingerprint (SHA-512 hash) that is secured with an ed25519 digital signature. This process establishes a verifiable and immutable record of ownership and copyright.

More information here: https://medium.com/@nucastcardano/introducing-nuauth-a-protocol-for-verifying-content-authenticity-origin-282c9ffa0abe

Zero-Knowledge Proof Access Control: Nuauth utilizes Midnight ZK's Attribute-Based Encryption (ABE). This allows proving access rights to content in a secure and cost effective mode. This provides accessors with a higher level of privacy. AI platforms can demonstrate they have the necessary attributes (e.g., usage rights purchased) to access the content, ensuring compliance and protecting content privacy.

Acknowledgement by Midnight team: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/midnight-ntwrk_midnightdevnet-midnightnetwork-activity-7161705386117394433-WMVO?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Authenticity Verification and Commercial Opportunities:

Nuauth Integrates seamlessly with existing media workflows while enhancing protection and monetization. The protocol opens up new commercial opportunities for media companies and AI platforms. Through controlled access points and smart contracts, Nuauth allows content owners to grant conditional access to their media, enabling new revenue models like royalties or licensing fees when access conditions are met.

Our Planned MVP Pilot Partner:

ETV Network is a news and entertainment satellite television channels. They are the largest regional television news network in the India, with 13 channels in 23 states with a combined viewership of more than 250 Million.

https://www.youtube.com/@ETVAndhraPradesh

Why is it required?

A study by the University of Oxford found that fake news can influence elections immensely, with 35% of Americans admitting to changing their vote based on fake news they encountered.

Fake News Statistics:

• Approximately 62% of online information could be false.
• 23% of surveyed Americans admitted to sharing a fake news story.
• 9 out of 10 American adults fact-check their news.
• 45% of UK adults report coming across a fake news item daily.
• On average, 40% of content shared on social media platforms is false.
• 80% of adults in the U.S. alone have consumed fake news at one time or another.
• 86% of global citizens have been exposed to fake news. 

Reference: https://www.demandsage.com/fake-news-statistics/

PoC Links - https://midnight.nucast.io/

Here is the explainer of how the PoC works: https://twitter.com/NucastIO/status/1757427624366756069

Testnet Transaction:

https://preprod.cardanoscan.io/transaction/5eea2082b24a56df24a1a23039d30af22fef16ae5ba461397d1aa4fdc139e068

Smart Contract Address: https://preprod.cardanoscan.io/address/addr_test1wpzz0977nq8vl5gkak5u46vecdhlee98x0nntj9sph4ljvqpc9jpn

Stakeholders Engaged:

Media Companies: Can assert more robust control over their intellectual property, ensuring appropriate use and unlocking potential new revenue streams.

Content Creators: Gain a powerful tool to protect their work and ensure they are appropriately recognized and compensated.

Consumers: Provided with the tools to discern and verify trustworthy content, which is crucial in an era of widespread disinformation.

AI Platforms: Encouraged to use content responsibly and ethically by adhering to the usage rights encoded in the blockchain.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Value to the Cardano Community:

By building Nuauth on the Cardano blockchain we're introducing novel utility to the ecosystem and we're creating an opportunity to leverage Cardano to solve real-world challenges.

• Driving Economic Opportunities: By facilitating new commercial models and enabling fair compensation for content creators, Nuauth can attract a diverse range of stakeholders to the Cardano community. This includes media companies, independent creators, and AI platforms, all looking to leverage blockchain for ethical and profitable content use.

• Promoting Ethical AI Use: Nuauth addresses the ethical challenges posed by AI in content creation, helping to guide AI platforms towards responsible use of media. This aligns with Cardano’s principles of creating more equitable and sustainable technological solutions.

• Empowering Creators and Consumers: The project directly benefits creators by providing them with tools to protect their work and ensures consumers have access to authentic content. This user-centric approach can enhance the reputation of Cardano as a community-focused blockchain.

Measuring Impact:

To gauge the success and impact of Nuauth, we will use both quantitative and qualitative metrics:

• Quantitative Metrics: Adoption Rate: Track the number of media companies and creators using Nuauth to register and manage their content.

• Qualitative Metrics:

• Stakeholder Feedback: Collect and analyze feedback from content creators, media companies, and consumers to understand their satisfaction and the practical benefits they experience.

• Community Engagement: Evaluate the level of engagement and interest in Nuauth within the Cardano community through forums, social media, and community events.

Sharing Outputs and Opportunities:

• Documentation and Reports: We will produce comprehensive documentation and periodic reports detailing Nuauth’s development, implementation, and impact. These will be shared openly with the community through the Cardano forum and other channels.

• Partnerships and Collaborations: We will actively seek partnerships with media companies, technology providers, and academic institutions to demonstrate Nuauth’s capabilities. Success stories and case studies from these collaborations will be shared to inspire and inform the community.

By focusing on these areas, Nuauth aims to contribute to a more secure, trustworthy, and vibrant Cardano ecosystem, demonstrating the blockchain's potential to solve complex challenges in the digital age.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Development Team:

Our developers have extensive experience in blockchain development, particularly on the Cardano platform. They have contributed to successful Cardano-based projects and are proficient in cardano dapp development.

• Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Our team members included Midnight ZK Pioneers with knowledge and experience in implementing Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) techniques.

• Media & Copyright Specialists: Our team includes professionals with deep experience in the media industry who understand copyright law and digital rights management.

Strong Partnerships:

We have established relationships with key media companies like ETV with millions of consumers every day, ensuring Nuauth is well-positioned for adoption and scalability.

Our previous interaction with ETV Network where we are talking about Nucast and Cardano:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpZpAH9aKZo

AI and Ethics Researchers: We have researchers specializing in AI ethics, ensuring that Nuauth addresses both current and emerging challenges in AI-generated content.

Proven Track Record:

Our team has deployed blockchain solutions that required meticulous planning and robust technical implementation, recognized for their innovation and impact.

Community Engagement:

Our team actively contributes to the Cardano community, demonstrating our commitment to the ecosystem’s growth and values.

Development and Initial Testing:

Initial Prototype on Testnet: We have developed a Nuauth PoC, deployed on the Cardano testnet, showcasing core functionalities like content registration and rights management.

Testnet Transaction:

https://preprod.cardanoscan.io/transaction/5eea2082b24a56df24a1a23039d30af22fef16ae5ba461397d1aa4fdc139e068

Smart Contract Address: https://preprod.cardanoscan.io/address/addr_test1wpzz0977nq8vl5gkak5u46vecdhlee98x0nntj9sph4ljvqpc9jpn

Our MidnightZK PoC: https://midnight.nucast.io/

Iterative Feedback and Refinement: We will refine the protocol based on feedback from initial users and stakeholders, focusing on integration and usability.

Piloting Program with Partners:

• Partner Collaboration for Pilot Testing: We will collaborate closely with our media company and AI platform partners to conduct pilot tests of the Nuauth. These pilots are designed to validate the solution in real-world scenarios and will help us identify any operational challenges.

• Adjustments Based on Piloting Results: Insights from these pilots will guide necessary adjustments to the Nuauth protocol. We aim to fine-tune functionality, enhance user experience, and ensure seamless integration with partner systems.

Budgeting and Financial Reporting:

We will maintain a transparent budget and provide for the community according to the catalyst guidelines. Regular updates on our progress, challenges, and milestones will be shared with the Cardano community via forums and social media. We will actively seek and incorporate community feedback.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

A: Milestone outputs

• Develop the core Nuauth protocol for content registration and access control on the Cardano testnet to an MVP.
• Expanding the capabilities of the PoC to support diverse media type and media sources.
• Build a user interface for content producers to register their content to the registry.

B: Acceptance criteria

• The Nuauth protocol successfully registers content on the Cardano testnet, creating a SHA-512 hash secured with an ed25519 digital signature.
• The UI allows content creators to upload their content and register it on the testnet.

C: Evidence of milestone completion

• Provide a working demonstration of the Nuauth protocol registering content on a Cardano testnet.
• Showcase the UI for content creator registration.

Milestone 2

A: Milestone outputs

• Integrate core functionalities: Midnight ZK's Attribute-Based Encryption (ABE) for zero-knowledge proof access control.
• Controlled access points and smart contracts for enabling new revenue models.
• Develop UIs for content consumers to verify content and the access points.

B: Acceptance criteria

• The Nuauth protocol utilizes ABE to grant access to content based on pre-defined attributes on the testnet.
• Implemented smart contracts based conditional access to content based on pre-defined conditions on the testnet.
• The UIs allowing content consumers and AI platforms to access content and verify it's access points and source.

C: Evidence of milestone completion

• Provide a working demonstration of the Nuauth protocol showcasing: Attribute-based access control using ABE on a Cardano Preprod Network.
• Conditional access through smart contracts on a Cardano Preprod Network.
• Showcase the UIs for content creator access management and AI platform access request.

Milestone 3

A: Milestone outputs

• Onboard content from our Partners
• Conduct Testing on the MVP
• Prepare comprehensive documentation for developers and users.

B: Acceptance criteria

• Registered initial adopter's content on Preprod Network
• No critical bugs, and bugs fixed if any are identified in the testing.
• The documentation clearly explains how to use the Nuauth protocol for content creators, AI platforms, and developers.

C: Evidence of milestone completion

• Partner's content onboarded and accessible on the MVP
• Provide detailed testing reports.
• Deliver the public user documentation for the Nuauth protocol.

Final Milestone

A: Milestone outputs

• Launching the MVP through our distribution channels.
• Create a video presentation summarizing the project and its achievements.
• Submit a final project close-out report detailing all aspects of the project development.

B: Acceptance criteria

• The Nuauth protocol is successfully deployed and accessible to the public.
• The video presentation clearly explains the project goals, functionalities, and its impact.
• The close-out report provides a comprehensive overview of the project, including technical details, challenges faced, and lessons learned.

C: Evidence of milestone completion

• Provide a link to the deployed Nuauth protocol and launch activities.
• Submit the video presentation summarizing the project.
• Deliver the final project close-out report.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Sricharan Ganta, CEO @ Nucast

Sricharan is a successful entrepreneur and business development strategist with over seven years of experience in business-driven roles and over four years of experience in the web3 domain. He has a successful track record of delivering innovative products on the Cardano Blockchain. As the CEO of Nucast, Charan is extremely passionate about community building and pioneering solutions. He currently leads a dynamic team of 15+ professionals at Nucast Labs. Additionally, he holds a Masters in Computer Science from the University of Central Missouri, USA.

Sam Jeffrey M, CTO @ Nucast

Building tech on Cardano for 3+ years. Midnight Pioneer 1st Cohort. Worked as Plutus Consultant at Gimbalabs. Awarded the Presidential Award for Innovation 2021 by the Government of India.

Nucast Labs : Successfully built various scalable Cardano dapps. Nucast is proud to host a highly skilled and experienced development team of 15+ members with over 30 years of combined industry experience.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone 1: Core Development and UI for Content Registration

Total Duration: 45 Days

• Web Developer x 2: 16000 ADA
• Smart Contract & ZK Developer: 20000 ADA
• UI/UX Designer: 4500 ADA
• Solution Architect: 4500 ADA

Total: 45000 ADA

Milestone 2: Integration of ABE and Development of Consumer UIs

Total Duration: 45 Days

• Web Developer x 2: 16000 ADA
• Smart Contract & ZK Developer: 20000 ADA
• UI/UX Designer: 4500 ADA
• Solution Architect: 4500 ADA

Total: 45000 ADA

Milestone 3: Onboarding and Comprehensive Testing

Total Duration: 30 Days

• Web Developer x 2: 16000 ADA
• Smart Contract & ZK Developer: 20000 ADA
• UI/UX Designer: 4500 ADA
• Solution Architect: 4500 ADA

Total: 45000 ADA

Final Milestone: Launch and Reporting

Total Duration: 30 Days

• Smart Contract & ZK Developer: 10000 ADA
• Web Developer x 2: 5000 ADA

Total: 15000 ADA

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

The Nuauth project offers significant value for the Cardano ecosystem by enhancing digital media's security, transparency, and trustworthiness. By investing in Nuauth, Cardano will attract media companies, content creators, and AI platforms. We have also established partnership with big media outlets and movie production houses which will be exposing Cardano to lot new users

We adopt a lean development approach, prioritizing development and improvements based on partner and community and user feedback, which ensures cost-effective use of funds. Our strategic use of a geographically diverse across US, Singapore and India team enables us to optimize our development costs while maintaining high standards of quality and efficiency.

This approach, combined with our commitment to transparency and strategic budgeting, ensures that Nuauth provides excellent value for money, enhancing the Cardano ecosystem's capabilities and appeal in the competitive blockchain space.