Getting Started

Welcome to the Hello World Co-Op DAO! This guide walks you through everything from completing your signup to becoming a full member.

Registration and Onboarding

When you sign up, you'll go through these steps:

Dashboard Preview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Hello World Co-Op                    [Dashboard] [Logout]  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                             │
│  Welcome, [Your Name]!                                      │
│                                                             │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │  Complete Your Membership                            │   │
│  │  ─────────────────────────────────────────────────   │   │
│  │  [✓] Age Verification                                │   │
│  │  [✓] Email Verified                                  │   │
│  │  [✓] Membership NFT (Registered)                     │   │
│  │  [○] Upgrade to Active ← You are here (18+ only)    │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                             │
│  [Continue to Membership Upgrade →]                        │
│                                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Step	Action	Status Check
1	Age verification	Verify you are 13+ to proceed (18+ for voting)
2	Create account	Enter name, email, and password
3	Verify your email	Click the verification link sent to your inbox
4	Receive Registered Membership NFT	Automatically minted after email verification
5	Upgrade to Active (18+ only)	Complete KYC and pay $25 annual fee to unlock voting

Step 1: Age Verification

Registration begins with a date of birth verification to ensure COPPA compliance. You'll be asked to enter your date of birth using neutral dropdown fields (month, day, year).

• Under 13: You cannot create an account at this time due to legal requirements
• 13-17: You can register and access most features, but cannot upgrade to Active membership or vote
• 18+: You can register and later upgrade to Active membership with voting rights

No personal information is collected until age is verified as 13 or older.

Step 2: Create Your Account

After age verification, you'll fill out the registration form:

• Full name
• Email address
• Password

All personal information is encrypted before being stored. Your date of birth is encrypted and stored separately; only a boolean flag indicating "18+ verified" is used for access control.

Step 3: Email Verification

After registration, you'll receive an email with a verification link. Click the link to confirm your email address. If you don't see the email:

• Check your spam/junk folder
• Make sure you entered the correct email during registration
• Request a new verification email from the login page

Step 4: Receive Your Registered Membership NFT

After email verification is complete, your Membership NFT is automatically minted to your account with Registered status. This Soul-Bound Token (SBT):

• Represents your membership in the co-op
• Grants access to most platform features (like Otter Camp)
• Has no expiration date
• Is non-transferable and tied to your account
• Does not include voting rights (Active membership required)

Step 5: Upgrade to Active Membership (18+ Only)

If you are 18 or older, you can upgrade to Active membership to unlock voting rights:

1. Complete KYC verification

   • Navigate to the KYC section in your dashboard
   • Upload a government-issued ID (passport, driver's license, or national ID)
   • Complete a brief identity verification process
   • Wait for approval (typically 24-48 hours)

2. Pay annual membership fee

   • Annual fee: $25 USD
   • Payment method: Credit/debit card via Stripe
   • Proration: If joining mid-year, you'll pay a prorated amount
   • The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31

3. Membership upgraded

   • Your NFT status transitions from Registered to Active
   • Expiration date is set to December 31 of the current year
   • You can now vote and create proposals

Note for 13-17 year olds: You cannot upgrade to Active membership until you turn 18. You can still access all other features including Otter Camp, the member dashboard, and community discussions.

What's Next?

After Email Verification (Registered Status)

Once you've verified your email and received your Registered NFT, you can:

• Explore your dashboard to see your membership details
• Play Otter Camp - our community game
• Browse proposals and discussions (read-only)
• Review the FAQ for common questions

After Upgrading to Active (18+ Only)

Once you've completed KYC and paid your membership fee, you're a full voting member! Here's what you can do:

• Cast your first vote on an active proposal
• Learn about voting and how the 1-Member-1-Vote system works
• Create and submit your own proposals
• Participate fully in governance decisions
• Learn about membership renewal to maintain Active status

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues during the signup process:

• Check our FAQ for common solutions
• Contact support at support@helloworlddao.com