Community Governance of Content and Rules in the Hello World Co-Op DAO Ecosystem
I. Purpose and Foundational Philosophy
Community governance of content and rules represents a cornerstone of the Hello World Co-Op DAO Ecosystem's operational integrity, directly embodying its core principles of algorithmic transparency, meritocratic participation, and continuous community oversight. This framework is meticulously designed to foster an environment where all members actively shape the ecosystem's ethical and functional guidelines, ensuring that power is distributed and continually refreshed, thereby preventing the stagnation and unintentional hierarchical consolidation prevalent in traditional systems. By enabling members to collectively determine the standards for content and operational rules, the DAO reinforces its commitment to user sovereignty, digital inclusion, and a truly regenerative economic model.
II. Democratic Governance Model: "1 Member = 1 Vote" (1M1V)
The bedrock of content and rule governance within the Hello World Co-Op DAO Ecosystem is the "1 Member = 1 Vote" (1M1V) principle. This principle is legally embedded in the Cooperative LLC's operating agreement and strictly enforced on-chain to prevent financial stake from dictating decisions, ensuring every voice carries equal weight.
**On-Chain Enforcement:** Membership is secured by
non-transferable, soulbound **Membership NFTs** (ERC-721 tokens),
which serve as on-chain proof of DAO membership and grant equal
voting rights. For each proposal, temporary voting tokens
(**VoteNFT.sol**) are minted and automatically destroyed when the
vote is finalized, explicitly preventing vote selling and ensuring
governance power is tied to real participation.
Anti-Manipulation
Mechanisms: Rigorous "anti-sybil" and "anti-whale"
mechanisms are explicitly in place to safeguard against manipulation
and ensure equitable influence in governance.
III. Proposal Process for Rule-Making and Content Policies
Members are actively encouraged to submit proposals for initiatives, improvements, or changes within the ecosystem. This includes, but is not limited to, changes to rules, ethical guidelines, and content policies.
**Initial Review:** Proposals undergo an initial review by a
**Proposal Review Board** (a member-voted body) or an automated
filter to ensure they meet basic criteria and ethical guidelines.
This vetting ensures alignment with the DAO's mission and ethical
commitments.
Binding DAO
Vote: Proposals that pass this initial review are then put up
for a binding DAO vote. The DAO's smart contracts will carry out the
execution of approved proposals whenever possible. For significant
matters, such as amendments to the Terms of Service or changes to
legal structures, higher quorum or supermajority requirements may
apply.
Think
Tank App's Role: The **Think Tank App**, an AI-powered
outlining tool, assists members in generating structured,
board-ready outlines for crowdfunded infrastructure proposals.
Crucially, it is explicitly NOT designed or utilized for
governance functions; governance operates strictly via the 1M1V
DAO voting process. Approved outlines from the Think Tank App feed
into the Proposal Oversight Board for vetting before DAO approval.
IV. Community Governance of Content
The Rabbit Whole social and educational hub is a primary example of how content governance is managed by the community.
**Content Moderation and Platform Rules:** Within Rabbit Whole,
content moderation and platform rules are governed by the community,
ensuring alignment with cooperative values and a respectful
environment. This can be managed via a content policy committee or
through proposals submitted to the broader DAO.
Ethical
Standards for Content: The DAO's ethical commitments, including
a zero-tolerance policy for prejudice, hate, bigotry, racism, and
other unethical conduct, are actively enforced through its systems
and smart contracts, extending to content posted within Rabbit
Whole.
Token-Gated
Content: Rabbit Whole also features token-gated content, where
discussion channels or resources can be restricted to members
holding specific skill badges or role NFTs, fostering focused
community groups.
V. Ethical Framework and Enforcement
The Hello World Co-Op maintains a zero-tolerance policy for exploitative or unethical labor and trade practices, along with prohibitions against prejudice, hate, bigotry, racism, and other unethical conduct. These standards are actively enforced through community governance and smart contracts across the ecosystem.
**Co-Op Marketplace:** All vendors on the Co-Op Marketplace are
DAO-vetted members, subjected to identity verification and
compliance checks (KYC/AML), and adhere to strict Ethical and
Sustainability Terms of Service. Smart contracts such as
**EthicsCompliance.sol** and **VendorRegistry.sol** actively
enforce these standards, allowing for automated blocking of
disallowed products or the sanctioning of vendors for violations.
SupplyChainTracker.sol may also be utilized to record provenance and
verify claims, ensuring verifiable ethics underpin every
transaction.
Terms of
Service and Amendments: The **Terms of Service** meticulously
outline the cooperative structure, core purpose, explicit ethical
commitments, and detailed governance mechanisms. Any amendments to
these Terms can only be made through a valid DAO governance action,
requiring a supermajority vote of the membership, with changes
circulated in draft form for member feedback and published in an
updated policy document. Unilateral amendments are strictly
disallowed.
VI. Transparency and Auditability
Transparency is a deeply felt commitment, ensuring that trust is earned through verifiable ethics. All core smart contracts are open-source and visible to members, with their code and addresses published in a public repository (GitHub).
**Code-to-Text Consistency:** A crucial provision clarifies that
where the provisions of the Terms of Service conflict with smart
contracts, smart contracts generally preempt, except for specific
statutory requirements. This necessitates continuous vigilance
to resolve any such discrepancies through DAO-led community
resolution, ensuring alignment between on-chain logic and legal
documentation. Both text and code are considered binding in their
respective domains, with "code is law" applicable to the
extent members have agreed.
Member
Rights: Members are entitled to audit or review the open-source
code of all core smart contracts or commission third-party audits.
The DAO Dashboard provides a user interface for proposals, voting,
and treasury review, ensuring transparency and accountability.
This comprehensive framework ensures that the Hello World Co-Op DAO Ecosystem operates with robust, community-driven governance over both its content and its rules, fostering trust and accountability across all layers.