12 Items

teaser image

Blog Post - perspectives-on-public-purpose

Fostering a Digital Commons: Internet-Native Experiments For Sustainable Open-Source Software

| June 20, 2023

The internet, and by extension much of the global economy, is built on “digital public goods,” often in the form of open-source software. This open-source software is a critical infrastructure for the devices and applications that are part of our everyday lives, yet remains consistently under-funded and under-resourced. Below we explore the importance of and obstacles to sustainability that open-source software faces today, and highlight various experiments that aim to improve the quantity and quality of such infrastructure.

An orange and blue background with an isometric illustration of digital buildings and people

Helena Rong

Report

From Community Currency to Crypto City Tokens: Potentials, Shortfalls, and Future Outlooks of New Old Ideas

| June 15, 2023

Tailored to specific geographic areas, local community currencies are alternative monetary systems designed to empower local businesses and foster engagement while promoting a greater sense of unity of a place. Although these community currencies have never become mainstream practice throughout history, they have repeatedly risen in popularity during times of economic crisis or instability. In the wake of the pandemic, a resurgent interest in community currencies—now powered by blockchain and Web3 technologies—is reshaping the way cities approach local financing and engagement of their constituents. Over the last two years, mayors from major U.S. cities such as New York City, Jackson, Tampa Bay, Miami, and Austin made headlines by openly endorsing cryptocurrencies and embracing the idea of city-branded tokens in hopes of unlocking alternative ways of fundraising and boosting local economic growth during the crypto market’s heyday. With a rich history rooted in times of economic turmoil, community currencies offer both inspiring success stories and cautionary tales of the challenges that lie ahead as cities navigate the evolving financial landscape. As we consider the possibilities of community currencies powered by crypto, we ask: Are they just a temporary fad that poses potential risks and little value, or do they hold the potential to truly offer a synergistic solution to the problems facing cities today? Could they digitally revolutionize the age-old practice of local community currency and elevate public purpose value and social impact? 

A burnt dark grey with background with an isometric illustration of digital grey and black scene with wording.

Image Courtesy: CityDAO.io/

Report

Deep-Dive Into CityDAO: An Experiment in Collective Land Ownership and Decentralized Governance

| June 14, 2023

In October 2021, CityDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), raised over $8 million from over 5,000 members globally to purchase 40 acres of land in Wyoming, aiming to build a city based on the Ethereum blockchain, a first for a DAO. This case study provides an insightful examination of the potential of DAOs for collective land ownership and community governance, offering valuable lessons for future best practices.

 

A blue background with an isometric illustration of an orange colored lit freeway  during evening hours.

Helena Rong

Report

Connected Digital Society: Paving Ways for Country-Scale Digital Interoperability in Estonia

| June 14, 2023

Estonia, after a series of severe cyberattacks in 2007, integrated blockchain technology into its e-governance system, bolstering its cybersecurity infrastructure and becoming a global model of digital society innovation. Today, Estonia is one of the world's most digitally integrated countries, with 99% of its public services digitized, reportedly saving over 1,400 years of working time and about 2% of its GDP annually. This case study provides a comprehensive analysis of Estonia's digital transformation, evaluating the endeavor from multiple perspectives, encompassing technology, governance, regulatory frameworks, stakeholder involvement, and the underlying values driving the transformation. It aims to derive lessons for other countries considering their own digital transformations.

teaser image

Blog Post - perspectives-on-public-purpose

Blockchain for Impact Workshop: Perspectives on International Development, Public Goods, and Regenerative Economy

| May 26, 2023

Over the last decade, developments in blockchain and various decentralized technologies have spurred the evolution of “web3,” introducing significant disruptions across various industries and sectors. For many innovators, these technologies can significantly improve existing transaction and verification processes, by making them more transparent, efficient, and trustworthy. For others, web3 serves as an ideal platform for developing and scaling innovative economic and governance models towards a more sustainable, collaborative, and democratic future. However, the clear evidence of frauds and scams accompanying these advancements make some critics question the credibility and legitimacy of the field. As such, it is vital to critically examine the field and pinpoint areas and use cases where these technologies can truly bring positive change and impact. The event offered an opportunity for practitioners, academics and researchers to explore the most promising approaches and use case areas for employing web3 technologies and blockchain to promote positive social impact. Through a combination of presentations and interactive sessions, attendees have engaged in rigorous debate and analysis of the opportunities and challenges of blockchain technology, including discussions of the technical, economic, and social implications.

Report

When URL Meets IRL in Web3: Lessons for Decentralized Trust-Building Technologies in Democratic Governance

| May 03, 2023

Decentralized Web3 technologies such as blockchain emerged as instruments for creating an alternative “trustless” system that uses cryptography and decentralized consensus mechanisms to obviate the need for third party human intermediaries, but suffered significant setbacks due to massive frauds and speculations throughout the past decade of their evolution. This report investigates a variety of case studies that showcase emerging efforts to employ decentralized trust-building technologies (DTTs), especially those central to web3, in the physical realities and the built environment of our social institutions.

teaser image

Blog Post - perspectives-on-public-purpose

Can Web3 help enable fairer distribution of wealth? A proposal for fractional property ownership and collective governance in local development

| Feb. 10, 2023

This blog post is an intro to a white paper that details a proposal for decentralized fractional property ownership and collective governance in local development. 

teaser image

Blog Post - perspectives-on-public-purpose

Event Recap: Policymaking in Web3

| Dec. 16, 2022

On December 1st, the Technology and Public Purpose (TAPP) Project hosted its third and last panel Policymaking in Web3 as part of a three-part Perspectives in Web3 Virtual Series. It was joined by legal scholars, lawyers and policy researchers who work at the forefront of this domain, including Primavera De Filippi, Research Director at the National Center of Scientific Research and Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Berkman-Klein Center for Internet & Society; Connor Spelliscy, Executive Director of the DAO Research Collective; Miles Jennings, General Counsel and Head of Decentralization of a16z Crypto; David Kerr, Principal of Cowrie LLC; and Lindsey Kelleher, Senior Policy Manager at Blockchain Association.

teaser image

Blog Post - perspectives-on-public-purpose

Event Recap: Investing in Web3

| Dec. 01, 2022

On November 17th, the Technology and Public Purpose (TAPP) Project hosted its second panel Investing in Web3 as part of a three-part Perspectives in Web3 Virtual Series. It was an especially timely discussion given the series of events which have unfolded over the last few weeks surrounding the collapse of FTX, formerly the second largest centralized crypto exchange platform. Joining the conversation wereNick Ducoff of G20 Ventures,Lauren Stephanianof Pantera Capital, andBrandon Hoffmanof Sunset Ventures. This blog serves as an event recap and outlines some key takeaways from the event.

teaser image

Blog Post - perspectives-on-public-purpose

Event Recap: Building in Web3

| Nov. 16, 2022

On October 20th, the Technology and Public Purpose Project's fellows Sarah Hubbard and Helena Rong hosted Mary-Catherine (MC) Lader of Uniswap Labs, Joshua Tan of Metagov, and Scott Fitzsimons of CityDAO to join them in conversation about Building in Web3 as the first panel in a three-part Perspectives in Web3 Virtual Series. This blog serves as an event recap and outlines some key takeaways from the event.