DAO-NET: ZKP Sybil Defense Service

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

This proposal is for a research and design white paper that will be open source content for the entire community. The final design should allow for any DAO to verify that a member supplied self sovereign identity credential indicating that the member is human, alive and unique is accurate through a smart contract that references an encrypted block chain list.

The proposed solution brings together several very specific advanced concepts but the desired outcome is very simple which is for DAOs to ensure that every member is human, still alive and does not have more than one membership in the DAO. The principal reason for the solution is to allow many DAOs to create a one member, one vote organizational structure while maintaining maximum decentralization and minimum overhead.

Breaking the solution down into its component requirements:

1) Design a zero knowledge proof that every member of an encrypted blockchain list is human, alive and unique. The reason for using a zero knowledge proof is to maintain maximum anonymity while the use of an encrypted blockchain list instead of a traditional database server is to maintain maximum decentralization. Ideally this zero knowledge proof and addition to the encrypted blockchain list would be done via a dapp.

2) Issue a Self Sovereign Identity verifiable credential that the user stores in their wallet, accrediting that they are human, alive and unique. To maintain the alive credential would require periodic verification. The reason for using the SSI model is because it maximizes decentralization and it allows many DAOs, or other entities, to use a single issuer instead of having to reinvent the wheel. The ZKP dapp would also issue the credential and send it to the user's wallet.

3) When a credential holder wishes to join a DAO they would provide the verifiable credential to an open source smart contract which would provide the proof that would be presented to the DAO. Using a smart contract with an encrypted blockchain list instead of a traditional database server is again to maintain maximum decentralization.

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

The DAO-NET ecosystem already addresses the creation and operation of algorithmic DAOs. There are also several managed DAO solutions available in the Cardano ecosystem. One of the most important tools still missing for the creation of DAOs is the ability to verify that members are humans (not bots) and do not have multiple accounts. There are similar services on other platforms, mainly Ethereum, like Proof of Humanity however most use database servers instead of blockchains to store data and usually are a fee based service.

The design objective is for a free open source decentralized credential issuing service that will not be controlled by any entity with transaction fees (probably increased) covering the additional computational costs to Stake Pool Operators (potentially providing SPOs additional revenue).

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

From a high level the solution seems technically feasible however the solution is combining several cutting edge concepts therefore there is a high possibility that not all of the desired components will work together as required. Therefore the proposal has been stripped down to simply creating the white paper and design documentation to show how the desired solution could be achieved.

Whatever aspects of the design are not feasible will be documented, along with the reasons, potential workarounds and/or new technological features required to implement the full solution.

The second main risk involves finding qualified experts willing to perform open source work at a rate that is likely to be funded under Project Catalyst, given their high demand and limited availability. To mitigate this risk, DAO Coders will reach out to IOG and the Cardano Foundation for possible recruiting assistance.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

Sept 2022

• Recruit zero knowledge proof cryptographer
• Recruit self sovereign identity expert

Oct 2022

• Community engagement in After Town Halls
• Define project requirements

Nov 2022

• Design Zero Knowledge Proof solution
• Design Self Sovereign Identity credential Framework

Dec 2022

• Finalize documentation

Jan 2023

• Publish white paper
• Present findings at (After) Town Hall

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Cryptographer ($7,500/month for 4 months): $30,000

Self Sovereign Identity Expert ($5,000/month for 4 months): $20,000

Lead Developer ($500/month for 5 months): $2,500

Product Manager ($500/month for 5 months): $2,500

Total: $55,000

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

Product Manager **

• have a holistic understanding of the DAO-NET suite of proposals
• experienced in managing multidisciplinary teams in up to a dozen projects simultaneously
• ability to articulate and fluently translate between business and technical requirements
• able to manage large complex budgets
• experienced in hiring consultants and third party contract negotiations

Lead Developer **

• Full stack developer experience
• Plutus development, especially algorithmic DAO smart contract primitive
• Define technical requirements
• Integrate multiple software components into a larger solution

Self Sovereign Identity Expert / Plutus Developer

• Self Sovereign Identity framework design experience
• Full stack developer experience
• Plutus development of smart contracts, Plutus Pioneer preferred

Cryptography Developer

• zero knowledge proof experience
• Full stack developer experience
• Identity proof experience, especially Proof of Humanity and Life

Team

Product Manager: Dwayne Collard - 20 years+ IT Consultant, Solutions Analyst, IT Manager, Veteran Community Advisor https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwayne-collard/

Lead Developer: Jude Ben - 9 years+ Software Development , Plutus Smart Contract Development , Cloud and Infrastructure Engineer https://www.linkedin.com/in/judeebene/

Self Sovereign Identity Expert / Plutus Developer: Contractor to be determined.

Cryptography Developer: Contractor to be determined.

** Note that the Product Manager and Lead Developer positions provide technical direction and oversight of the contracted development team. These are not full time positions which allows for these individuals to participate in multiple projects, made easier since the projects are interrelated. These individuals managed the 4 successful DAO-NET proposals from Fund 7, all of which will be completed prior to funding release for Fund 9.

Of the 3 successful DAO-NET proposals from Fund 8, one is scheduled for completion prior to funding release for Fund 9 therefore even if all 4 DAO-NET proposals from Fund 9 are funded the management team has the capacity to deliver on all the projects.

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

DAO-NET's initial primary focus is to complement the Project Catalyst funding process by providing an alternative funding process that requires less overhead, takes days instead of months, focuses on small projects (under $10K USD) instead of large projects and provides a means for funding the day-to-day expenses of ongoing services.

While the eventual intention is for the DAO-NET ecosystem to be self-sustaining, initial funding for subsequent redistribution to eligible projects via community voting is envisioned to come from future Project Catalyst proposals in Funds 10-12. (See the DAO-NET: Small Developer Funding proposal as an example of how these future funding requests will look).

If Project Catalyst future funding requests are not granted then the project has contingency funding plans however the adoption rate to grow the Cardano and DAO-NET communities is expected to be significantly slower.

Regardless of future funding, the DAO-NET ecosystem which has several minimum viable products, all of which are open source, will be available for the community to use and to build upon.

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

DAO Coders will track the number of individuals, DAOs or other entities which express interest in the solution and report the totals on the Monthly Project Catalyst reporting form.

As part of the document publishing process, readers will be asked to provide feedback on the final document in the form of a short survey. Feedback results will be included in the final Town Hall presentation.

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

Success for this project will be the existence of a solid design document on how to create a fully decentralized zero knowledge solution to verifying proof of humanity, life and uniqueness that gets developed either through future Project Catalyst funding rounds or other means.

Success would also include an interest in the community, to use the solution to develop one member, one vote style DAOs.

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

This proposal is a continuation of the previously funded projects:

Fund 7:

DAO-NET: DAO Deployment Platform

DAO-NET: Legal Defense DAO

DAO-NET: Multilingual Translation

DAO-NET: Auditor DAO

Fund 8:

DAO-NET & A2T Sidechain Design

DAO-NET: DAO Token Market

Merchandise Store Pricing in ADA (Selling online brand merchandise using ADA is one of the alternative fund raising mechanisms for DAO-NET and any member DAOs)

and is related to the Fund 9 proposals:

DAO-NET: Small Developer Funding

DAO-NET: Voting Wallet Integration

DAO-NET: Participate to Earn