{
  "id": 11629036,
  "title": "I Built an Internet Court. Now I'm Trying to Find Out If Anyone Actually Wants It.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/i-built-an-internet-court-now-im-trying-to-find-out-if-anyone",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-03T07:10:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/sohail_khan_db35e29ac67bd/i-built-an-internet-court-now-im-trying-to-find-out-if-anyone-actually-wants-it-558h"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A couple of weeks ago, I had a domain named loopproof.me, which I owned but had no product to offer. I decided to utilize Claude Code, providing it with an unconventional instruction: \"Build anything you want. Here's the domain. It's already registered and mine.\" I didn't specify a startup idea or a detailed product, I simply allowed the AI to generate a concept. The AI returned with the notion of an Internet Court. The concept was straightforward: when individuals had an argument, they would file the argument as a trial on the platform. Other users would then vote in favor or against the argument, and the votes would determine the verdict. Initially, I found the idea absurd, but I considered the potential of actually creating it.\n\nThe result was a functioning app. The process involved someone submitting a case outlining their perspective in an argument, which would then be accessible via a public URL. Users could read the case and cast their vote in favor or against. The verdict would update in real-time, displaying the vote count. Additional features included authentication, database management, reporting, comments, real-time updates, and subscription management. The technology stack consisted of Next.js, React, and Supabase, with PayPal managing the paid membership aspect. One crucial principle guided the development: avoid falsifying activity. This meant no fabricated votes, fake users, or implying popularity when there was none. If a case had zero votes, it remained at zero votes.\n\nUpon launching the platform, I anticipated users would engage with it. However, the response was disappointing. Although people questioned the idea's merits, the lack of interest was disheartening. I questioned whether the concept was flawed, if the product failed to address a significant problem, or if my communication was inadequate. Perhaps the audience needed to witness an intriguing case to comprehend the value proposition. Alternatively, perhaps I simply lacked effective distribution. At this stage, my primary objective was to identify users, not to add more features.\n\nThe fundamental question now is: what differentiates this platform from existing communication channels such as group chats, Reddit, Discord, or straightforward arguments among friends? The potential lies in transforming an argument into a link, allowing users to engage in a more structured manner. Instead of an endless exchange of viewpoints ending in frustration, users could file a case and let others vote. This approach could streamline discussions, making them more efficient and objective. However, the question remains: would others find this utility, or was this merely a personal fascination borne from the creation process?\n\nHaving developed the project independently, I realized that building something is not equivalent to proving demand. While I successfully constructed the product, it didn't guarantee that anyone would find it useful. This realization has prompted a new experiment: I remain committed to the project, refraining from abandoning it. I aim to understand if others would actually utilize this platform. As I and my friend delve into a trivial argument, who is wrong? We could bypass further debate and let a virtual court settle the matter. This scenario might address certain needs, or it could be nothing more than a clever gimmick. I genuinely seek your perspective on this matter.",
  "summary": "A couple of weeks ago, I had a domain sitting around: loopproof.me I owned the domain, but I didn't have a product. So I opened Claude Code and gave it a pretty unusual instruction: “Build anything you want. Here's the domain. It's already registered and it's mine.” I didn't give it a startup idea. I didn't give it a detailed product specification. I just let it come up with something. It came…",
  "key_points": [
    "A user-built platform named \"Internet Court\" allows users to submit arguments for public voting.",
    "The project was developed using Next.js, React, and Supabase, with PayPal handling paid memberships.",
    "The author found limited interest in the concept despite its potential to streamline online debates."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}