DSNP Specification
Version 1.0.0
Welcome to the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP) specification! Here you can find a detailed documentation regarding the current state of the protocol and proposals for future extensions.
Goals & Purpose
The free communication of users on the internet faces a variety of problems in the modern day. These challenges include censorship from state and corporate actors, the amplification of misinformation through viral content, and an ever-shrinking collection of near monopolies with absolute power over social interaction in the 21st century. Through the DSNP, we hope mitigate and ideally solve these challenges in the way social interaction operates online.
How to Read This Specification
The specification is divided into several modules. Each module describes a mostly self-contained aspect of the DSNP and includes documents detailing the function and intended use the module.
Proposals for some of these future extensions can be found in the Draft Specifications section and on GitHub, however these proposals should be regarded with caution as they are largely incomplete and may be subject to change or deletion without notice.
Implementation Status
Versions
DSNP Specification Versions follow Semantic Versioning 2.0 for releases. Draft Specifications do NOT effect the version number until they are included. Reference and Roadmap changes do NOT effect the version number.
| Name | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 | Initial Release | 2021-09-08 |
Draft Specifications
| Name | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Archivist | DRAFT | Long term DSNP Announcement Storage |
Draft Status Definitions
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | Open for comment and major changes. |
| Proposed | Ready for formal review. It should be done except for minor changes. |
| Tentative | This is the accepted plan. The specification should not change unless there are blocking issues. |
Language Interfaces
Solidity
All included Solidity interfaces are targeting the Solidity language version 0.8.x. Other versions may be available in the official contracts code repository.
Contracts and Interfaces
Official DSNP interfaces and implementations code may be found in GitHub.
DSNP SDKs
Roadmap
Last Updated: 2021-09-08
Completed
| Work | Status |
|---|---|
| Whitepaper | Done (2020 Q4) |
| Spec Outline | Done (2021 Q1) |
| Batch Announce First Draft | Done (2021 Q1) |
| Spec Live! | Done (2021 Q1) |
| Identity Contract & Delegation | Done (2021 Q2) |
| Batch Announce File Format | Done (2021 Q3) |
| Identity Factory | Done (2021 Q2) |
| Graph Handle Registry | Done (2021 Q2) |
| Batch Announce Filter System | Done (2021 Q3) |
| Graph Data | Done (2021 Q3) |
| Announcement/Publishing Revision | Done (2021 Q3) |
| Stabilize 1.0 | Done (2021 Q3) |
Future
Below is a tentative roadmap to what protocol features are being developed next! Items are ordered by current priority.
Chain Migration
Status: In progress
Ethereum's cost is too high. Migrate the DSNP architecture to another chain.
Private Graph
Status: Whitepaper
Keep some graph connections private with permissioned access.
Direct Messaging
Status: Whitepaper
One-to-one messaging with metadata privacy.
Public Friends
Status: Not Started
Graph connections are currently limited to one-way follow relationships. Build support for other forms of relationships that require all parties to opt-in.
Social Account Recovery
Status: Not Started
Use the social graph to leverage safe account recovery and protect against private key losses.
Private Friends
Status: Not Started
Expand private graph to other relationships while maintaining metadata protection.
Verified Attributes
Status: Not Started
Some users and applications need social identities with additional layers of validation. How can these be created while being privacy preserving and support an open system.
Distributed Content Moderation
Status: Not Started
Content moderation is hard because it means different things to different people. Make customizing content moderation easier through distributing the work and results.
Namespace and Multichain support
Status: Not Started
Identity and content from other systems could be used without needing to understand the originating system. Support DSNP across multiple chains to increase user choice and avoid locking data to one chain or network.
Content Bridges
Status: Not Started
Open social network bridges would allow more content and users to be accessible to all via DSNP.
Service-Node Protocols
Status: Not Started
Sub-specifications targeted at ecosystem services to promote interoperability.
Private Group Messaging
Status: Not Started
Secure many-to-many conversions. Group chat style still with metadata privacy.
Private Posts to Friends
Status: Not Started
Secure one-to-many posts that still allow for commenting.
Third-party Identity Bridges
Status: Not Started
Create ways for users to be able to bring their own identities or connect a DSNP Identity with outside identities.
Archivists
Status: Draft
Long-term storage for announcements and perhaps expanding to content storage.
Peer-to-Peer publishing
Status: Not Started
Build a peer-to-peer system for announcement publishing for faster routing and message delivery.
Learning More
In addition to this document, more resources regarding our project can be found at DSNP.org, including our blog, forum, code repository and SDK.