- Polkassembly/
- #725/
NFT Registrar: an anti-plagiarism registrar
Summary: We propose the addition of a new Registrar into Kusama to combat NFT plagiarism. The current registrars are not scalable to this use case and focus on a different aspect of verification. As a funded and NFT-focused team, we have the capacity, expertise, and desire to do this checking properly and for free without relying on or even verifying personal information of applicants.
Full proposal below.
As on any NFT platform, there is plagiarism on RMRK's protocol, notably on the Singular platform which currently supports RMRK-based NFTs and is on the brink of supporting Statemine NFTs.
We have some measures in place to protect against this, and more planned (DAO-like community curation, staked minting), but we think manual verification is by far the most effective long term stamp-of-approval an account can get, and is especially important when onboarding an identity as a whole, not just a person's individual works and collections. It is also a necessary part or attracting new users to Kusama.
We propose adding a new Registrar into Kusama. This registrar would be run by the RMRK 4/6 Multi-sig.
The process consists of three phases:
1. Application
A potential minter registers an identity through the Singular platform via a simplified UI just for this purpose.
Note: We recommend minters create an identity specifically for NFTs in order to be able to quickly and easily later on make small alterations to the profile without losing the verification status and having to wait for a traditional re-verification of all fields.
This UI already exists but will be further improved in terms of UX. As an example, visiting "Your Space" on Singular.rmrk.app will allow a user to alter their identity information for the sake of customizing their profile.
The information required to be verified would be at least one portfolio link, and some contact informaton.
Optionally, the user can provide other information as well, like legal name, social media contact info, etc. and all of this information will be vetted separately via cryptographic signatures.
2. Verification
Not-yet-verified minters' work does not show up on landing and SERP pages, but is accessible through direct links until community-curated.
To verify a user account, the vetters will:
- manually inspect the the work of the applicant, performing reverse-image search, reference search, and general web feedback.
- ask the applicant to prove ownership of the linked portfolio by including a cryptographically signed message on the portfolio in question.
- ask the applicant to prove ownership of every social media handle and point of contact using cryptographic signatures. This will be an automatic process similar to that used by Registrars 0 and 1.
Once an applicant has been verified, they are given the KnownGood judgement, essentially earning a "green checkmark" on any compatible UI.
A KnownGood minter's NFTs are automatically shown on the landing pages of standards-compatible UIs, search result pages, and other pages where people might randomly encounter them.
3. Upkeep and loss of verification
If a KnownGood minter breaks the T&C of any standards-implementing UI, their status is invalidated and set as Erroneous, and their works are automatically hidden from all standard-compatible platforms.
Q&A
Can another registrar already do this? Why is another registrar needed?
The current registrars focus on real-world identity. This registrar would focus on approving ownership over original work in an NFT minter's portfolio, which is something beyond the scope, capacity, and level of expertise of other registrars. The RMRK community - which will be included in these vettings - have a unique perspective on NFT matters and art, and our deep involvement in the NFT space across different blockchains uniquely positions us to reliably identify plagiarism. The accounts we verify can be pseudonymous - we only care about originality of work and applicant creativity.
How much would the service cost?
An applicant would be required to deposit 0.5 KSM. This would be refunded after a successful vetting. Those applicants whose judgement request is denied because of a lack of a body of original work will also be refunded. The applicants whose request is judged as Erroneous due to detected plagiarism will not be refunded.
What if you judge wrongly? What's the appeal process?
The vetting team will maintain an open channel of communication with every applicant in order to resolve the judging process quickly and fairly. This same channel can be used for appeals.
About RMRK
RMRK is a protocol and soon-to-be set of pallets and ink smart contracts that make "art legos" possible, producing the most advanced NFT system in the world. The RMRK team is an independent and fully funded entity registered in Switzerland, Zug.