Introducing Bonding & Liveliness Scores on the Itheum Protocol

Itheum
8 min readApr 18, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of Web3, the concept of data ownership is vital as individuals seek to reclaim control over their digital assets and identities. At Itheum, we are committed to this cause by providing innovative solutions that empower individuals to tokenize their data, information, knowledge, & skills as Data NFTs — an innovative way for them to claim ownership of their data as a “new asset class”.

However, one of the significant challenges in the Web3 space is the issue of trust.

Despite the inherent transparency of blockchain technology, the anonymity it offers can obscure the intentions behind each blockchain address. This anonymity raises crucial questions: How can we ascertain whether someone’s actions are driven by good intentions or potentially malicious motives? The absence of identity verification can hinder genuine engagement and participation within the decentralized ecosystem. This is especially true when it comes to tokenizing data in a protocol such as Itheum, as a lack of reputation produced by the verified identity of the participants, can introduce all sorts of issues with data quality, data integrity, scams, etc.

Once we address the challenge of trust within Web3, an innovative solution is required that maintains the ethos of blockchain addresses while preserving data creator privacy. This solution should also build credibility within the ecosystem. This is embodied in the concepts of Bonding and Liveliness Score within the Itheum ecosystem.

Creators who wish to demonstrate positive intentions regarding their tokenized information/data as Data NFTs can establish credibility by bonding tokens to earn a Liveliness Score.

Bonding represents a commitment to delivering accurate and timely datasets to data consumers and also signals to the community the Data Creator’s ongoing “reputation”. The Liveliness is established via a Bond that’s locked for a Bond Period, and with each passing time interval, the Liveliness “depletes”, requiring the Data Creator to renew their Bond. After each Bond Renewal, the Liveliness Score resets to 100%, indicating the creator’s ongoing dedication to providing high-quality content & fostering trust within the community.

Are you curious to learn more about what Bonding and Liveliness Scores mean for the Itheum Ecosystem? Let’s dive deeper into these innovative concepts and discover how they are shaping trust and credibility within our platform.

Exploring the Dynamics of “Itheum Life”

Step into the world of “Itheum Life,” where the Itheum protocol utilizes a variety of methods to assess the activity, reputation, and engagement of its participants. These participants include Data Creators who generate valuable data, data consumers who use this data, dApps that operate on Itheum Infrastructure, & even Data Coalitions DAOs involved in large-scale “bulk” data trading.

Additionally, members of the broader Web3 community contribute by showing support for different user groups, such as by staking tokens to endorse Data Creators. Even those in the Web2 community, who may not be familiar with blockchain technology, can use the Itheum protocol tools to earn rewards similar to those in games or social platforms. Together, these dynamic methods form the cohesive framework known as “Itheum Life.”

In Phase 1 of Itheum Life, we introduced the innovative Itheum BiTz XP System. Now, as we progress into Phase 2, we unveil Data Creator Bonding, a pivotal step towards empowering creators and ensuring data quality and integrity within our ecosystem. Moving forward we will unfold the final stage — the “Data Creator Staking System” which will be detailed once the architecture and design are set in place.

Tokenizing Data, Information, Knowledge and Skills: A Path to Data Ownership

Central to the ethos of Web3 is the idea of decentralization, where individuals have sovereignty over their data and assets.

Using the Itheum Protocol, individuals can tokenize their knowledge and skills, transforming them into valuable Data NFTs. This process not only grants individuals ownership over their data but also enables them to create a new asset class and monetize their data transparently and securely.

Decentralizing the Protocol: Removing Whitelisting Guardrails

As we take the first steps towards decentralizing our protocol, once the Bonding and Liveliness score will be matured we will be removing the whitelisting guardrails and opening up the Data NFT Minting process to anyone willing to bond ITHEUM tokens in return to signal their reputation and Liveliness. This democratization of access allows for greater inclusivity and participation within the ecosystem, empowering individuals to become active contributors to the open data economy.

Translating Bonding & Liveliness Scores into Reputation: Proof of Positive Intentions

The bonding feature on the Itheum protocol serves as a testament to the data creators’ reputation and dedication to maintaining up-to-date data streams and a commitment to their “Published” Data Assets.

By bonding ITHEUM tokens, creators showcase their commitment to the ecosystem and provide proof of their positive intentions for future data assets added within Data NFTs. This transparent mechanism reinforces trust and accountability within the community.

ITHEUM Tokens as Utility Reputation Tokens

As bonding translates into reputation, ITHEUM tokens emerge as utility reputation tokens within the ecosystem.

These tokens not only represent value but also serve as a measure of an individual’s standing and commitment to contributions within the community. This alignment of crypto-economic incentives encourages active participation and fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among participants, whilst rewarding the “good actors” and penalizing the “bad actors”

Understanding Data Creator Liveliness Scores & Bonding on Itheum

For Data Creators, ‘Liveliness’ scores are determined during the minting of Data NFTs.

Initially, the Creator deposits a Slashable Bond (sBond) for a specified period, such as 3 months, enabling them to mint Data NFTs. The Liveliness score gradually decreases as the bond period approaches expiration, indicating the Creator’s level of engagement and commitment to data quality.

To maintain a high score, Data Creators can renew their bond without adding extra tokens, demonstrating ongoing commitment and positive intentions to Data Consumers. Exiting the sBond prematurely incurs penalties, with a portion of the bond redistributed to Data Consumers who own the affected Data NFTs in their wallets. Renewing the bond resets the Liveliness score to 100%, enhancing the Creator’s reputation and data value.

Alternatively, Data Creators (who wish to exit from the system) can withdraw their bond penalty-free after the minimum bond period has expired, resetting their Liveliness score to zero for new evaluations by Data Consumers.

Additionally, Data Consumers can report misconduct to a Data Curation DAO, which enforces penalties to uphold data integrity and accountability.

This dive into some Examples:

  1. Alice is an Indie Musician looking to generate a strong fan following.
  2. Bob is an active PlayStation gamer who has aspirations to become a competitive gamer and plays games many hours a day generating a lot of valuable gamer data.
  3. Carol likes to stay healthy and active and spends a lot of time in fitness and wellness activities, generating a lot of valuable health data.
  4. David runs a company that wants to tokenize shopping behavior and tie it to a tradable loyalty card.

Alice, Bob, Carol, and David are Data Creators who are “Good Actors” and they want to use the Itheum protocol to meet their objective of getting rewarded for their high-value data. They want to build their reputation and show their users that they are active and have strong “liveliness”. They deposit bonds as Data Creators mint their Data NFTs and keep renewing their Bonds to ensure they have a maximum Liveliness Score. The Data Consumers feel comfortable getting access to their data given it’s obvious they are good actors.

5. Elle is a BOT, it wants to try and offload nefarious data to unsuspecting Data Consumers.

Elle is a “Bad Actor”. Data Consumers suspect this and raise a report with the Data Curation DAO who then warns Elle via a minor penalty on the Bond, and if not corrected, slashes the entire bond and freezes the Data NFTs in Elle’s collection. The slashed bond amounts are then reimbursed to any Data Consumer impacted by this event.

Introducing the Liveliness Score: A Measure of Reputation and Participation

Central to the Itheum protocol’s reputation and bonding system is the concept of the Liveliness score. This score provides entities with a measurement of their reputation, participation, activity, and advocacy within the new open data economy. By aligning incentives and rewarding long-term commitment and good behavior whilst providing a community-driven system to curate and penalize bad behavior, the Liveliness score serves as a key mechanism for decentralizing the protocol and fostering synergy among participants.

The Importance of Data Creators with a Web3 Reputation

In a decentralized ecosystem, the reputation of data creators plays a crucial role in establishing trust and credibility. Data creators with a great reputation not only attract more stakeholders but also contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of the ecosystem. By incentivizing positive behavior and rewarding reputation, we pave the way for a vibrant and thriving Web3 community.

Conclusion

As we continue to innovate and evolve, the introduction of bonding and liveliness scores marks a significant milestone in our journey towards decentralization and data ownership in Web3.

By empowering individuals to tokenize their data, information, and knowledge, showcasing positive intentions & commitment through bonding, and rewarding good Data Creator’s reputations, we lay the foundation for a more inclusive, transparent, and resilient open data economy that can scale to reach the masses. Together, we forge ahead towards a future where data ownership is not just a concept but a reality for all.

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About the Itheum Protocol

Itheum protocol is reshaping the landscape of data ownership in the Web3 and Metaverse ecosystems. Our “decentralized data brokerage” technology champions privacy, adheres to regulations and is prepped for multi-chain integration. Deeply anchored in both enterprise and consumer sectors, Itheum stands as a definitive choice in blockchain data and identity infrastructure. Our platform offers an array of specialized tools and services.

These include:

  • The Data DEX: At the heart of the Itheum ecosystem, the Data DEX serves as the central hub for personal data ownership. It’s designed to be multi-chain compliant, ensuring broad adoption. This ecosystem encompasses tools for Data NFT minting, wallet management, and a Data NFT marketplace.
  • Data NFT Marketplace: The nexus of data exchange. A platform where creators and projects worldwide can connect with a myriad of consumers, thereby monetizing their invaluable datasets in a transparent and secure environment.
  • Data NFTs: Dive into the world of NFTs that are backed by scarce real-world data that boosts the value and utility of the NFT.
  • Data Coalition DAOs: Governance made accessible. Facilitating bulk data trade, always with your express consent.
  • NFMe ID Technology: A Metaverse representation of you, but not just any representation. An NFT-backed avatar, powered by your data.

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