Sonr Blockchain Constitution
Preamble
We, the members of the Sonr Network Community, establish this Constitution to govern the decentralized ecosystem built upon the principles of self-sovereign identity, user-controlled authentication, and distributed consensus. This Constitution defines the governance framework for the Sonr blockchain, operated under the stewardship of the Decentralized Identity DAO LC (diDAO), a Wyoming Decentralized Unincorporated Nonprofit Association (DUNA), dedicated to advancing decentralized identity infrastructure for the benefit of all participants.
The Sonr Network operates through a dual-token system, with SNR serving as the governance token and uSNR as the base denomination, enabling democratic participation while maintaining operational efficiency through authentication-based revenue generation and cryptographic security anchored in users' personal Motr vaults.
This Constitution serves as the immutable foundation of our governance, establishing the rights, responsibilities, and procedures that will guide Sonr through technological evolution, regulatory changes, and societal transformation while maintaining our core mission of human-centric identity protection for the next 100 years and beyond.
Article I: Mission, Values, and Foundational Principles
Section 1: Constitutional Mission
The Sonr Network commits to building a Digital Identity System capable of protecting humanity for the next 100 years and beyond. This network serves as a perpetual guardian of human digital identity, balancing technological innovation with fundamental rights protection through democratic governance, technical excellence, and unwavering commitment to privacy.
Section 2: Core Values and Inviolable Principles
The Sonr Network operates on these inviolable principles that form the bedrock of all network operations.
Human Sovereignty establishes that every individual possesses inherent rights to control their digital identity and personal data. The network recognizes that identity ownership represents a fundamental human right that cannot be compromised, transferred to third parties, or subjected to external control mechanisms.
Privacy by Design requires that privacy protection must be embedded at the protocol level, not added as an afterthought. All network operations implement privacy-preserving technologies by default, ensuring user data remains confidential and secure throughout all interactions and transactions.
Decentralization mandates that no single entity shall control identity verification, data access, or governance processes. The network maintains distributed control across validators, token holders, and the broader community to prevent centralized points of failure or manipulation.
Interoperability ensures that identity solutions must work seamlessly across all chains and systems. Users maintain consistent identity across different platforms and applications while preserving privacy and security, enabling universal digital identity portability.
Perpetual Accessibility requires that the network must remain accessible to all humanity regardless of technological sophistication, economic status, geographic location, or any other discriminating factors. Universal usability and inclusion remain paramount design considerations.
Quantum Resilience mandates that all cryptographic systems must evolve proactively to maintain security against emerging threats, including quantum computing advances and other technological developments that could compromise traditional security models.
Section 3: Rights and Obligations
All users of the Sonr Network possess these inalienable rights. Identity Sovereignty encompasses complete ownership and control over one's digital identity and associated data, with no external entity possessing override authority over individual identity decisions. Selective Disclosure provides the ability to share only necessary information for specific purposes, maintaining privacy while enabling required verifications and interactions. Data Portability ensures freedom to export identity data and migrate between systems without restriction or penalty, preventing vendor lock-in and maintaining user autonomy. Consent Granularity delivers fine-grained control over data usage permissions, allowing users to specify exactly how, when, and where their information may be utilized. Erasure Rights enable users to request deletion of personal data in compliance with privacy regulations while maintaining network integrity and security. Access Equality guarantees equal access to network services regardless of stake size, geographic location, or socioeconomic status, ensuring universal participation opportunities.
All network participants accept these fundamental obligations. Privacy Protection requires commitment to protecting user privacy and data sovereignty through both technical implementation and operational practices. Network Security encompasses responsibility to maintain network integrity, report vulnerabilities through appropriate channels, and contribute to overall system resilience. Governance Participation mandates active participation in governance processes when holding staked tokens, ensuring democratic legitimacy through stakeholder engagement. Regulatory Compliance involves adherence to applicable laws while preserving user privacy and maintaining the network's decentralized character. Transparency requires open communication about network operations, decision-making processes, and any conflicts of interest that might affect network governance.
Section 4: Identity-Specific Governance Framework
The network implements multi-level verification tiers ranging from self-attested to cryptographically verified credentials. Privacy-preserving verification utilizes zero-knowledge proofs to enable authentication without revealing underlying personal data. Decentralized reputation systems provide community-driven trust mechanisms while maintaining user anonymity. Biometric data protection standards ensure the highest level of security for biological identifiers. Recovery mechanisms for compromised identities include social recovery protocols and hardware security module integration.
Governance approval processes determine authorization for trusted credential issuers within the network ecosystem. Standardized schemas for common credentials enable interoperability while maintaining flexibility for emerging use cases. Privacy-preserving credential revocation mechanisms allow for credential invalidation without compromising user privacy. Cross-chain recognition agreements establish mutual credential recognition with other blockchain networks and traditional identity systems.
All network operations collect only essential data required for stated purposes, implementing selective disclosure by default across all interactions. Zero-knowledge proofs enable verification without data revelation whenever technically feasible. Sensitive data receives encryption protection both at rest and in transit using industry-leading cryptographic standards. Users maintain granular consent management systems enabling fine-tuned control over data access and usage permissions. Real-time data access logs provide complete transparency regarding who accessed what information and when. Immediate revocation capabilities allow users to withdraw consent and access permissions instantly. Complete data portability ensures users can export their identity data and migrate between systems without restrictions.
Section 5: Long-Term Sustainability and Evolution
The network commits to hundred-year sustainability through establishment of endowment funds sourced from the community treasury. Technology-agnostic governance frameworks ensure adaptability as underlying technologies evolve over decades. Succession planning addresses all critical roles to prevent single points of failure across extended timeframes. Regular ten-year strategic reviews assess network direction and adjust long-term planning accordingly.
Annual governance effectiveness reviews evaluate and improve decision-making processes based on outcomes and community feedback. Adaptive parameter adjustment mechanisms enable network optimization based on growth patterns and usage metrics. Continuous integration of privacy-enhancing technologies ensures the network remains at the forefront of privacy protection. Proactive regulatory compliance updates anticipate and address changing legal landscapes across multiple jurisdictions.
Emergency response protocols address potential network disruptions, security breaches, and governance attacks. Crisis management procedures enable rapid response while maintaining democratic oversight and accountability. Validator coordination mechanisms ensure network continuity during technical emergencies or coordinated attacks. Recovery procedures establish clear processes for restoring normal operations following any network disruption.
Section 6: Technical Standards and Compliance
Full compliance with W3C Decentralized Identifier specifications includes proper DID Method implementation and registration with appropriate standards bodies. Verifiable Credentials standards adherence ensures interoperability with existing and emerging digital credential ecosystems. Resolution and dereferencing compatibility enables seamless integration with external systems and applications. Cross-platform interoperability requirements ensure broad accessibility across different technological platforms.
Implementation of NIST post-quantum standards including FIPS 203, 204, and 205 algorithms ensures long-term security against quantum computing threats. Cryptographic agility enables smooth transitions between cryptographic algorithms as new standards emerge. Emergency upgrade procedures address immediate cryptographic threats through rapid deployment mechanisms. Regular security audits verify quantum resistance and overall cryptographic security posture.
GDPR data protection requirements integration ensures European privacy standard compliance while maintaining decentralized architecture. CCPA privacy rights implementation provides California residents with required privacy protections and controls. Cross-jurisdictional privacy standards ensure broad regulatory compliance across multiple legal frameworks. User consent and data sovereignty mechanisms provide granular control while meeting regulatory requirements.
Section 7: Constitutional Supremacy and Immutable Provisions
This Constitution represents the supreme governance document of the Sonr Network. Any governance proposal, validator action, network upgrade, or diDAO decision that contradicts these constitutional provisions shall be considered null and void.
The following provisions cannot be amended through any governance mechanism: the core mission of protecting human digital identity sovereignty for the next century and beyond, privacy-by-design requirements embedded in all network operations and future developments, user data ownership rights and control mechanisms ensuring individual autonomy, decentralization principles preventing any form of centralized control or authority, and the commitment to serve all of humanity's identity needs regardless of technological evolution.
Article II: Token Economics
Section 1: Token Structure
The governance token SNR serves as the primary token for network governance, staking, and ecosystem participation. The base denomination uSNR represents the smallest unit of account, where 1 SNR equals 1,000,000 uSNR. The network maintains a fixed maximum supply of 1,000,000,000 SNR tokens to ensure economic predictability and scarcity preservation.
Section 2: Token Distribution
The genesis distribution of SNR tokens shall be allocated across four primary categories to ensure balanced ecosystem development and sustainable growth.
Community and Ecosystem allocation of 45% supports broad network adoption and long-term sustainability. Public Distribution receives 15% to ensure democratic access and widespread token ownership. Community Treasury obtains 15% for governance-directed initiatives and ecosystem development. Ecosystem Development Fund captures 10% for strategic partnerships, integrations, and technology advancement. Validator Rewards Pool secures 5% for initial network security incentives.
Network Development allocation of 25% ensures continued technical advancement and operational excellence. Core Protocol Development receives 10% for fundamental blockchain infrastructure and identity protocol enhancement. Infrastructure and Operations obtains 8% for network maintenance, security monitoring, and operational support. Security and Audits captures 4% for comprehensive security assessments, penetration testing, and vulnerability remediation. Research and Innovation secures 3% for experimental technologies and future-oriented development initiatives.
The diDAO Foundation allocation of 15% provides institutional stability and strategic guidance. Foundation Reserve receives 10% for long-term operational sustainability and emergency response capabilities. Strategic Partnerships obtains 5% for critical alliance formation and ecosystem expansion initiatives.
Contributors and Team allocation of 15% recognizes the human capital essential for network success. Core Team receives 10% acknowledging the foundational work and ongoing commitment of primary developers and leaders. Advisors obtain 3% compensating strategic guidance and domain expertise. Early Contributors secure 2% recognizing initial community builders and supporters.
Section 3: Vesting and Unlock Schedules
Community allocations provide immediate availability for public distribution while treasury and ecosystem funds remain subject to governance proposals ensuring democratic control over resource allocation. Network Development follows a six-month cliff period followed by linear vesting over 36 months to align long-term incentives with network development goals. The diDAO Foundation implements a twelve-month cliff followed by linear vesting over 48 months ensuring institutional stability while preventing premature token concentration. Contributors and Team follow a twelve-month cliff with linear vesting over 48 months aligning personal incentives with long-term network success.
Section 4: Revenue Mechanisms
The network generates sustainable revenue through authentication service fees paid in uSNR, creating direct utility for the native token. Motr vault operation fees provide enhanced security features while maintaining basic functionality accessibility. Verification and attestation services offer tiered pricing based on verification complexity and security requirements. Cross-chain identity bridge operations generate fees for interoperability services across different blockchain ecosystems. Smart contract execution fees for identity operations ensure computational resources remain fairly compensated.
Article III: Governance Structure
Section 1: The diDAO Foundation
The Decentralized Identity DAO LC, organized as a Wyoming DUNA, serves as the steward of the Sonr Network. The foundation assumes responsibility for protocol governance coordination ensuring democratic processes remain effective and inclusive. Treasury management oversight provides fiscal responsibility while maintaining transparency and accountability. Ecosystem development initiatives support strategic growth and partnership formation. Legal representation and compliance ensure regulatory adherence while protecting network decentralization. Strategic partnership facilitation connects the network with compatible organizations and technologies.
Section 2: Governance Bodies
SNR Token Holders possess ultimate decision-making authority within the governance framework. Proposal voting rights operate proportionally to staked SNR holdings ensuring democratic representation while incentivizing network participation. A minimum requirement of 100 SNR enables proposal submission, maintaining accessibility while preventing spam and frivolous governance actions.
The Validator Assembly handles technical governance and protocol upgrades ensuring network security and performance optimization. Network security and performance monitoring provides continuous oversight of critical infrastructure. A minimum self-bonded stake requirement of 50,000 SNR ensures validator commitment and alignment with network success.
The Identity Council comprises seven elected members serving twelve-month terms providing specialized governance oversight. The council oversees identity standards and authentication protocols ensuring technical excellence and user protection. Council members review and recommend governance proposals offering expert analysis and community guidance.
Section 3: Voting Mechanisms
Standard Proposals require simple majority approval exceeding 50% with a 20% quorum ensuring broad community participation in routine governance decisions. Protocol Upgrades demand supermajority approval exceeding 66.7% with a 33% quorum reflecting the critical nature of technical changes. Constitutional Amendments require supermajority approval exceeding 75% with a 40% quorum protecting fundamental network principles from hasty modification. Emergency Actions enable Identity Council approval through 5 of 7 members for time-sensitive security matters requiring rapid response capabilities.
Section 4: Proposal Process
Submission requires a 100 SNR deposit returned upon proposal reaching quorum, ensuring serious proposals while maintaining accessibility. A seven-day discussion period enables community review and debate fostering informed decision-making. A seven-day voting period provides token holder participation opportunities while maintaining governance efficiency. Implementation includes a 48-hour timelock for non-emergency proposals ensuring final review and preventing malicious governance attacks.
Article IV: Network Operations
Section 1: Validation and Consensus
Validator requirements include a minimum self-bonded stake of 50,000 SNR ensuring significant skin in the game for network security participants. Maximum total delegation caps at 10% of total staked SNR preventing excessive centralization and maintaining distributed control. Technical specifications remain determined by the Validator Assembly ensuring expertise guides infrastructure requirements.
The consensus mechanism implements Proof-of-Stake consensus with Byzantine Fault Tolerance ensuring network security and finality. Block time targets and finality parameters operate under protocol control enabling optimization based on network performance and user experience requirements.
Section 2: Staking and Rewards
Staking parameters establish a minimum delegation of 10 SNR ensuring broad accessibility while maintaining meaningful participation thresholds. The unbonding period extends 21 days providing security against rapid stake manipulation while enabling legitimate validator changes. Automatic compounding remains available for delegators seeking to maximize staking returns through compound interest effects.
Reward distribution includes block rewards sourced from the Validator Rewards Pool ensuring sustainable validator compensation. Transaction fees distribute proportionally to validators and delegators aligning incentives with network usage and security provision. Authentication service revenue sharing with active validators creates additional income streams beyond traditional staking rewards.
Section 3: Motr Vault Integration
The Motr serves as users' personal cryptographic key vault providing fundamental identity infrastructure. Secure key generation and storage ensures cryptographic security while maintaining user control and accessibility. Authentication credential management enables seamless interaction with applications and services across the ecosystem. Cross-application identity portability allows users to maintain consistent identity across different platforms and use cases. Recovery mechanisms through social recovery or hardware security modules provide security without sacrificing usability. Integration with the network's UCAN authorization system enables granular permission management and secure authentication flows.
Article V: Treasury and Funding
Section 1: Community Treasury
The Community Treasury receives initial funding of 15% of total supply supporting ecosystem development and community initiatives. Ecosystem development grants provide funding for projects advancing network adoption and technological innovation. Security audits and bug bounties ensure network security through professional assessment and community-driven vulnerability discovery. Community initiatives and events foster engagement and education within the ecosystem. Emergency response funding enables rapid action during critical situations requiring immediate resource deployment. Strategic acquisitions or partnerships support network growth through consolidation or alliance formation.
Section 2: Treasury Management
Disbursement limits ensure appropriate oversight commensurate with funding amounts. Expenditures below 10,000 SNR require Identity Council approval enabling efficient small-scale funding decisions. Expenditures between 10,000 and 100,000 SNR require standard proposal approval ensuring democratic oversight of moderate expenditures. Expenditures exceeding 100,000 SNR demand supermajority proposal approval protecting community assets from inappropriate large-scale spending.
Transparency requirements include quarterly treasury reports providing regular community updates on fund utilization and remaining resources. Real-time on-chain tracking enables continuous monitoring of treasury activities and expenditures. Annual third-party audits ensure fiscal responsibility and identify potential improvements in treasury management practices.
Section 3: Fee Structure
Network fees collected in uSNR create sustainable revenue streams for network operations and development. Base Transaction Fees adjust dynamically based on network congestion ensuring fair pricing while maintaining network accessibility. Authentication Service Fees operate under service provider control with minimum network fees applied ensuring baseline revenue generation. Storage Fees calculate based on data size and retention period reflecting actual resource consumption and infrastructure costs. Identity Verification Fees implement tiered pricing based on verification level ensuring appropriate compensation for different security and verification requirements.
Article VI: Security and Compliance
Section 1: Security Measures
Slashing conditions protect network integrity through economic penalties for malicious or negligent behavior. Double signing results in a 5% stake slash ensuring validators maintain proper key security and operational procedures. Prolonged downtime triggers a 0.1% stake slash incentivizing reliable validator performance and network availability. Governance attacks may result in stake slashing up to 100% protecting democratic processes from manipulation or coordinated attacks.
Emergency response capabilities enable rapid action during critical situations. Identity Council emergency powers address critical vulnerabilities requiring immediate intervention beyond normal governance timelines. Validator Assembly coordination manages network halts and recovery procedures ensuring orderly response to technical emergencies. Emergency action periods limit to maximum 72 hours preventing abuse while enabling necessary rapid response capabilities.
Section 2: Compliance Framework
The diDAO ensures regulatory compliance through structured legal and operational frameworks. KYC and AML procedures apply to high-value transactions where required by applicable law ensuring legal compliance while preserving network accessibility. Sanctions screening for validator operations ensures compliance with international law while maintaining decentralized operation principles. Tax reporting assistance supports network participants in meeting legal obligations while preserving privacy where legally permissible. Regulatory liaison and legal representation provide professional advocacy and compliance guidance across multiple jurisdictions.
Article VII: Amendments and Governance Evolution
Section 1: Amendment Process
Constitutional amendments require formal proposal submission with detailed rationale ensuring thoughtful consideration of fundamental changes. A thirty-day discussion period enables comprehensive community review and debate fostering informed democratic decision-making. Approval requires 75% support with 40% quorum protecting constitutional stability while enabling necessary evolution. A seven-day implementation timelock provides final review opportunity and prevents malicious constitutional manipulation.
Section 2: Transition Provisions
The initial parameter adjustment period spanning the first 180 days allows parameter changes via supermajority vote enabling network optimization during early operation. Foundation transition processes transfer diDAO operational control to full DAO governance after 24 months ensuring decentralization progression while maintaining initial stability. Vesting acceleration through governance vote may occur during extraordinary circumstances providing flexibility while protecting long-term incentive alignment.
Section 3: Dispute Resolution
Technical disputes receive resolution through Validator Assembly expertise ensuring appropriate technical knowledge guides infrastructure decisions. Governance disputes undergo arbitration by Identity Council providing specialized oversight of democratic processes and constitutional interpretation. Constitutional disputes require referral to external arbitration under Wyoming DUNA framework ensuring neutral resolution of fundamental disagreements. User disputes utilize community-selected arbitrators providing peer-based resolution mechanisms for interpersonal conflicts.
Article VIII: Implementation and Final Provisions
Section 1: Effective Date and Ratification
This Constitution becomes effective upon mainnet genesis block production and ratification by the initial validator set ensuring democratic legitimacy from network inception.
Section 2: Legal Framework
If any provision of this Constitution becomes invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect ensuring constitutional stability despite potential legal challenges. The Identity Council provides non-binding interpretative guidance for constitutional questions while maintaining democratic oversight of interpretation. Ambiguities receive resolution favoring decentralization and user sovereignty ensuring alignment with fundamental network principles. Technical specifications undergo interpretation by Validator Assembly ensuring appropriate expertise guides infrastructure decisions.
Section 3: Legacy and Evolution
This Constitution establishes Sonr as a perpetual guardian of human digital identity, balancing technological innovation with fundamental rights protection. Through democratic governance, technical excellence, and unwavering commitment to privacy, the Sonr Network shall serve humanity's identity needs for the next century and beyond. The provisions herein create a resilient framework capable of evolving with technology while maintaining core principles that respect human dignity, ensure data sovereignty, and enable secure digital interactions for all.
By ratifying this Constitution, the Sonr community commits to building and maintaining a digital identity system that respects human dignity, ensures data sovereignty, and enables secure digital interactions for all participants while maintaining democratic governance and technological excellence throughout the network's centennial mission.
- Ratified by the Sonr Network Community
- Stewarded by the Decentralized Identity DAO LC (diDAO)
- Empowering Self-Sovereign Identity Through Distributed Consensus