BitMessage: What If Communication Could Become a Source of Decentralized Participation?

BitMessage is an experimental protocol that explores the idea of decentralized communication as a means for network participation. This manifesto outlines the architecture, security considerations, token economics, privacy features, and research needs for the BitMessage ecosystem. The protocol is not claimed to be secure or fully implemented, but rather a proposal to be evaluated, challenged, tested, and refined by the community.

Modern consensus mechanisms, such as Proof-of-Work and Proof-of-Stake, rely on scarce resources like computation and capital to organize participation. These models, while not inherently flawed, raise questions about what resource should determine access to economic opportunities in a decentralized communication network. BitMessage suggests that the communication activity itself should play a central role in establishing participation rights.

The protocol introduces Proof-of-Presence-and-Meaning (PoPM) as a novel participation mechanism. PoPM connects everyday communication with cryptographically verifiable protocol events and a native economic system. It separates the participation and reward mechanism from the finality mechanism of the ledger, allowing users to engage in the network's economy without needing to become industrial miners or large capital holders.

PoPM is built on several key components, each serving a distinct purpose. Behavioral entropy is introduced as a means of simulating human-like interaction without relying on surveillance techniques. Epoch challenges are generated to discourage the replaying of prepared data. Each component contributes to the overall security and robustness of the protocol.

Behavioral entropy is used to create a unique commitment for each participant, tying their participation to the local entropy without revealing the underlying interaction data.

Protocol activity is divided into discrete epochs, each with its own fresh network challenge derived from the finalized network state and a protocol randomness source. This ensures that previously prepared participation data becomes unsuitable for new epochs, preventing potential attacks. The challenge is not controlled by any individual participant, as it is derived from the network state and randomness, rather than being a mining nonce or static input.

In summary, BitMessage proposes an innovative approach to decentralized communication by integrating participation and economic incentives directly into the protocol. By leveraging behavioral entropy, epoch challenges, and a well-defined participation mechanism, BitMessage aims to create a more equitable and secure network for everyday communication.