The Big distrikt community update
It’s been a long time since we gave a comprehensive update, and I know we’ve promised you guys we’ll put together a detailed overview of our development and overall progress so here it is!
What we’ve been up to:
1. Reserve your distrikt account!
We’ve launched our IC-native website that allows you to reserve your distrikt account using your Internet Identity. You can check it out here: https://distrikt.io. Just make sure you use the same Internet Identity to claim your account when distrikt goes live.
At the date when this article was published, distrikt had over 18000 users that reserved their account. We’re so excited and motivated by the strong welcome shown by our community. Looking forward to onboarding you all to the app!
2. Developing both the mobile and the web apps.
We decided to restructure and simplify the product’s MVP features and our canister model in order to speed up our launch. We will be quickly adding features and distrikt will increase in scalability and complexity post-launch.
While initially, we were aiming to launch a full-feature professional social media network in Q4 2021, we decided to move fast and launch an MVP earlier. We have set a goal to have distrikt live and onboarding users on the 1st of August at the latest.
In this initial version of distrikt users will be able to:
- claim their account with your Internet Identity (if they’ve already reserved it)
- create an account with their Internet Identity
- create their profiles
- upload profile photo
- choose from pre-set cover photo illustrations
- search the app for users and hashtags
- follow other users
- publish written posts and use hashtags
- tag other users
- like and comment on posts
- reporting and feedback options
- keep up to date with updates through our in-app announcements.
3. The Open Internet Foundation
The Open Internet Foundation is a Swiss based not-for-profit organization that will manage and maintain the day-to-day operations of distrikt. The purpose of the Open Internet Foundation is to support the expansion of an open internet through the development of digital products and services that empower users.
The Open Internet Foundation has already secured a donation of 6 million CHF and 40,000 ICP, from Aurel Iancu our co-founder. This will provide enough runway for distrikt to operate at optimum levels.
As a decentralized professional social media network, distrikt helps the Open Internet Foundation fulfill its purpose by offering users sovereignty regarding their digital presence and identity.
The Open Internet Foundation is currently in the process of incorporation. We expect the foundation to be up and running as soon as the end of August.
5. Vision and Roadmap
distrikt will become the first professional social media network that’s hosted 100% on the blockchain. This is made possible due to the unique capabilities of the Internet Computer.
Values: One of the foundational values of distrikt is that user sovereignty is a priority. distrikt users will not be the product and will not pay with their data to use the platform. Instead, distrikt users will own their data and identity and have a say regarding the governance of the platform and its future development.
distrikt is to become a strong user-centric alternative to the status quo.
distrikt will become a fully decentralized social media network that empowers users to own and control their data and identity and build meaningful communities. Each iteration of distrikt will lead us closer to this goal.
6. distrikt Token
While the specifics of the token economics are yet to be released, we can share that distrikt will have its own native token that will align incentives between participants and power the governance of distrikt by granting users voting rights on proposals submitted.
You can also expect us to stay true to our vision from day 1 and conduct no private deals of any shape or form. The distrikt token will be accessible to everyone through a public event that we will announce in due time.
Coming soon:
- MVP launch
- new distrikt website
- incorporation of The Open Internet Foundation
- The Open Internet Foundation website
- publish token economics paper
- educational content and media appearances
