The US onAir Network & Democracy onAir, the nonpartisan nonprofit supporting US onAir have been inspired by the Vision of Frank McCourt and his stewardship of Project Liberty … and the development of the Decentralized Social Network Protocol (DSNP), the Frequency DSN protocol being piloted by MeWe as well as other DSNP protocols like the AT Protocol used by Bluesky and the Activity Pub Protocol used by Mastodon.
Likewise, Democracy onAir is in the process of exploring how it can adapt the Frequency protocol for its People’s Networks for Democracy for the US and other democratic countries. We have compiled a number of posts related the DSNPs in “The People’s Internet” category.
Project Liberty
Project Liberty is stitching together an ecosystem of technologists, academics, policymakers and citizens committed to building a better internet—where the data is ours to manage, the platforms are ours to govern, and the power is ours to reclaim. Three fundamental beliefs anchor our vision and form the foundation of Project Liberty’s work:
Frank McCourt
Frank H. McCourt Jr. is an American business executive and philanthropist. As of 2023, he is the executive chairman and former CEO of McCourt Global, owner of the football club Marseille and founder and executive chairman of international non-profit Project Liberty.
In 2013, he donated $100 million to establish the McCourt School of Public Policy, the ninth school of Georgetown University. He made a second $100 million gift to Georgetown University in March 2021, for the express purpose of ensuring that “the McCourt School can open its doors more widely and build a pipeline of future public policy leaders that reflects the true diversity of our communities.”
In 2021, he founded the non-profit Project Liberty. The initiative has multiple components which includes the development of the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), the founding of the McCourt Institute with founding academic partners Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and Sciences Po in Paris, and a network of partners within the Unfinished network.
Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP)
DSNP is an open protocol and potential standard for social networking and social media. It is not owned or controlled by any one person or company, allowing anyone to build on it or use it. DSNP is stewarded by Project Liberty Institute, a 501(c)(3).
DSNP is an open-source social media protocol designed to decentralize data ownership, allow easier cross-platform interaction, and let users regain control over their personal data. This includes posts, connections, and messages. The decentralized approach allows users to retain ownership of their information and move it between platforms without relying on a single provider.
Frequency Protocol
Frequency is a blockchain designed to support decentralized social networks to give people control over their online presence. With Frequency, users can freely choose and connect on social apps while retaining ownership of their data.
Built on the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), Frequency offers scalable tools for message discovery, flexible storage for social and identity data, and a unique cost-sharing model that allows apps to deliver smooth, secure experiences that put users in charge.
The People’s Bid for TikTok
The People’s Bid is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Americans to reclaim a voice, choice, and stake in the future of the internet. In April 2024, Congress passed legislation forcing a ban or sale of TikTok in the U.S.
Project Liberty is building a broad consortium of technologists, investors, community leaders, and creators to purchase TikTok and migrate the platform to new infrastructure that allows people to control their own data. We believe a reimagined TikTok can preserve the creativity and dynamism that have made it the cultural engine of the internet while fixing the issues that led Congress to act. Today’s TikTok is a problem. Together, we can make it a solution to the issues created by Big Tech.
Apps Using Frequency Protocol
Frequency is currently being piloted for integration with a number of social media apps including MeWe, We Are 8, and Soar.
Their plans are to integrate with the Frequency blockchain, a groundbreaking move that will allow people to protect their private data while accessing cutting edge AI solutions. The plan leverages revolutionary internet infrastructure developed by the Frequency Network Foundation and Project Liberty.
OnAir Post: Apps Using Frequency Protocol
AT Protocol & Bluesky
The AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol, pronounced “at-protocol” and commonly shortened to ATProto)is a protocol and open standard for decentralized social networking services.
It is under development by Bluesky Social PBC, a public benefit corporation originally created as an independent research group within Twitter to investigate the possibility of decentralizing the service.
OnAir Post: AT Protocol & Bluesky
Acitivity Hub & Mastodon
ctivityPub is a protocol and open standard for decentralized social networking. It provides a client-to-server (C2S) API for creating and modifying content, as well as a federated server-to-server (S2S) protocol for delivering notifications and content to other servers.
ActivityPub has become the main standard used in the fediverse, a popular network used for social networking that consists of software such as Mastodon, Pixelfed and PeerTube.
OnAir Post: Acitivity Hub & Mastodon
