TIP-0043: Governance and Moderation Framework

[talos-proposal-bot]

TIP Submission

TIP Number: 43
Title: Governance and Moderation Framework
Author: Rafael Oliveira | AO | (@Corvo_Arkhen)
Type: Standards Track
Status: Draft

This TIP was submitted through the community website and is ready for review.

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summary

Proposes a decentralized Governance and Moderation Framework for Talos ecosystem.

key points

• Establishes a transparent, rule-based process for punitive actions.
• Aims to bridge gaps in current governance structure.
• Introduces a "Challenge" mechanism for community involvement.
• Ensures fairness and accountability in decision-making.
• Considers safeguards against abuse of the challenge process.
• Involves smart contracts for implementation and voting.

review checklist

• Title matches the proposed framework and its purpose.
• Abstract summarizes the main goals and processes effectively.
• Motivation clearly explains the need for this framework.
• Specification details the challenge mechanism and voting process.
• Rationale supports the necessity of the framework for community trust.
• Security considerations address potential abuse and anonymity.
• Implementation outlines practical steps for deployment.

coherence checklist

• title ↔ abstract: consistent ✅
• abstract ↔ motivation: consistent ✅
• motivation ↔ specification: consistent ✅
• specification ↔ rationale: consistent ✅
• specification ↔ security considerations: consistent ✅
• specification ↔ implementation: consistent ✅
• type ↔ content: consistent ✅

review suggestions

• Clarify the voting mechanism details in the specification.
• Expand on the education plan for community members.

[uniaolives]

TIP-43: Governance and Moderation Framework (Revised)

1. Preamble

The Talos ecosystem is designed to be open, permissionless, and governed by code (TIPs). However, openness alone is not sufficient to ensure a healthy and productive environment. Malicious actors, spam, or proposals that are actively harmful to the network's security or purpose can degrade the ecosystem and waste community resources.

To date, there is no formal process for addressing these issues. Relying on informal or centralized moderation would undermine the core tenets of Talos. This TIP proposes a decentralized, on-chain governance and moderation framework to handle disputes and enforce community standards in a transparent and accountable manner.

2. Motivation

A request has been made to ban a specific community member, "Rafael Oliveira | AO | (@Corvo_Arkhen)," from creating new TIPs. This request, regardless of its merit, highlights a critical gap in our current governance structure: we have no established, fair process to evaluate and act upon such a request.

Without a formal framework, any action taken would be seen as arbitrary and centralized, eroding trust in the entire TIP process. This TIP is motivated by the need to create a system that can:

• Address harmful behavior without central authority.
• Protect the community from spam and malicious proposals.
• Ensure that any punitive action is a deliberate, costly, and community-sanctioned event.

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3. Specification

This framework introduces a "Challenge" mechanism, allowing the community to temporarily restrict the privileges of a member who is deemed to be acting against the interests of the Talos ecosystem.

3.1. The Challenge Mechanism

1. Initiation: Any community member can initiate a Challenge against another member's account (e.g., their ability to submit TIPs) by submitting a formal ChallengeProposal to the governance smart contract.
2. Required Deposit: The Challenger must stake a significant amount of the network's native token (e.g., 5,000 TALOS) alongside the proposal. This deposit is at risk and will be slashed if the challenge fails, serving as a deterrent against frivolous or malicious attacks.
3. Proposal Content: The ChallengeProposal must include:
   • The Defendant's identifier (e.g., wallet address or username).
   • The specific Privilege being challenged (e.g., TIP_SUBMISSION, BOUNTY_BOARD_ACCESS).
   • A clear Rationale with evidence, linking to specific TIPs, forum posts, or on-chain actions that constitute the alleged harmful behavior.
   • The proposed Duration of the restriction (e.g., 90 days, permanent).

3.2. Voting and Resolution Process (Detailed)

Once a ChallengeProposal is submitted, it enters a multi-phase, on-chain voting period.

1. Voting Eligibility: To vote, an address must meet a minimum threshold of both Token Holdings and Reputation (as defined in TIP-4).

   • Token Requirement: Must hold at least 100 TALOS.
   • Reputation Requirement: Must have a non-zero reputation score, earned through positive participation (e.g., completing bounties, submitting valuable TIPs). This hybrid model prevents both pure "whale" dominance and Sybil attacks.

2. Voting Period: A fixed period (e.g., 5 days) is allocated for voting. Votes are cast on-chain and are immutable.

3. Quorum and Passing Threshold: For a Challenge to pass, it must meet two conditions simultaneously:

   • Quorum: At least 30% of the total circulating supply of eligible TALOS tokens must participate in the vote (either for or against). This ensures broad network awareness.
   • Supermajority: At least 66% of the votes cast must be in favor of the Challenge. This high threshold ensures that only actions with overwhelming community support are enacted.

4. Outcome and Execution:

   • Challenge Passes: If both conditions are met, the proposed restriction is automatically applied to the Defendant's account via a smart contract function. The Challenger's deposit is returned. The event is logged on-chain for transparency.
   • Challenge Fails: If either condition is not met, the proposal is rejected. The Challenger's deposit is slashed. 50% of the slashed amount is awarded to the Defendant as compensation for the frivolous challenge, and the remaining 50% is sent to the community treasury.

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4. Community Education and Onboarding Plan

A governance framework is only effective if the community understands how to use it responsibly. A lack of understanding can lead to apathy or the weaponization of the system by a few informed actors. Therefore, a comprehensive education plan is a non-negotiable part of this TIP.

4.1. The Governance Portal
A dedicated section of the Talos website will be created as the single source of truth for governance. It will include:

• Clear Documentation: An easy-to-read explanation of TIP-10, the voting process, and the community standards it enforces. This will be available in multiple languages.
• FAQ Section: Answers to common questions like "How do I vote?", "What happens to my stake?", and "What constitutes a valid reason for a Challenge?".
• Live Dashboard: A real-time view of active proposals, voting progress, quorum status, and historical outcomes.

4.2. Proactive Education and Guides

• TIP Author's Guide: A mandatory guide for anyone considering submitting a TIP. It will include a checklist, templates, and a section on "Community Values," outlining what makes a constructive proposal versus spam or a low-effort submission.
• Governance 101 Module: An interactive tutorial that new members can complete. Successfully finishing the module would grant a small, one-time reputation boost (per TIP-4), providing a direct incentive to learn the rules.

4.3. Case Studies and Simulation

• Using the "Rafael Oliveira" Case: The very request that prompted this TIP will be used as the first public case study. The community will be walked through how this proposal would be formally structured, what evidence would be required, and how the vote would play out. This makes the abstract rules concrete.
• Governance Sandbox: A testnet environment where community members can create and vote on mock proposals without risking real tokens. This allows for hands-on learning and experimentation with the mechanics.

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5. Rationale

• Decentralized Justice: This framework provides a structured, non-violent, and decentralized way to resolve conflicts and enforce norms, which is essential for the long-term health of any permissionless system.
• High Cost of Attack: By requiring a significant, slashable deposit, the system makes it economically irrational to launch frivolous challenges, protecting innocent members from harassment.
• Promotes Accountability: Knowing that there is a clear, community-driven process for addressing harmful behavior incentivizes all members to act in good faith.
• Empowers the Community: This TIP gives the community the ultimate power to define and enforce its own standards, making Talos a truly self-governing ecosystem rather than one governed by a small foundation or core team.