Desirable Properties ChallengeDP Challenge
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Desirable Properties Challenge

Help Build the Foundation of the Meta-Layer

The Desirable Properties define what the Meta-Layer should make possible for humanity. Together, we're refining these properties into Version 1.0 – a clear, community-developed foundation that will guide the design and implementation of the Meta-Layer substrate.

Three ways to contribute →New here? Read About

The Desirable Properties are not implementation details. They describe the capabilities, protections, freedoms, governance mechanisms, and social outcomes we want the Meta-Layer to support.

Version 1.0 will become the foundation for:

  • defining the minimum requirements for the Meta-Layer substrate
  • evaluating architecture decisions through Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)
  • informing technical specifications and ML-RFCs
  • guiding implementations across independent projects
  • ensuring the underlying infrastructure enables human agency, trust, interoperability, and collective intelligence

The Desirable Properties define what humanity wants the Meta-Layer to enable. The substrate defines how those capabilities are implemented.

Getting the “what” right is the community's first and most important architectural decision.

Three Ways to Contribute

Whether you have ten minutes or want to help shape Version 1.0 over several weeks, there's a place to contribute.

  • 1. Integrate Your Existing Ideas

    ≈10 minutes

    Already have ideas? Perhaps you've written a paper, drafted notes, built a project, published research, or simply have thoughts about what the future Internet should support.

    Use the DP Community AI to:

    • compare your ideas with the current Desirable Properties
    • identify where your ideas are already represented
    • discover missing capabilities or gaps
    • generate suggested patches or revisions
    • prepare your ideas for community discussion

    Whether your ideas exist as documents, notes, presentations, or free-form thoughts, the AI can help integrate them into the community process.

    Use the DP Community AI →

  • 2. Review the Desirable Properties

    ≈1–3 hours

    Read the current draft and help improve it two ways:

    • Discuss on the book – read chapters and comment with the community on book.desirableproperties.org (comments are live now). Passage-level patching on the book is coming.
    • Patch on Gov Hub – open a draft, select a passage, and submit a specific text revision on Gov Hub.

    You can also identify missing concepts, suggest examples, challenge assumptions, and recommend new Desirable Properties. Every thoughtful review strengthens Version 1.0.

    Read & discuss on the book →Patch a draft on Gov Hub

  • 3. Join a Workgroup

    ≈2–10+ hours

    Help synthesize community feedback into Version 1.0.

    Workgroups review comments, patches, proposals, and challenge submissions for one or more Desirable Properties. The DP Community AI assists by:

    • clustering related submissions
    • identifying recurring themes
    • surfacing unresolved questions
    • highlighting areas of agreement and disagreement
    • generating synthesis drafts
    • helping compare alternative proposals

    People make the decisions. AI helps organize the conversation. Together, workgroups discuss tradeoffs, build rough consensus, and prepare recommended revisions for the editorial process.

    This collaborative synthesis work will be most active during late August and early September as Version 1.0 takes shape. If you'd like to help architect the future Meta-Layer, this is where you'll have the greatest impact.

    Join a WorkgroupNominate a Workgroup Coordinator

Workgroups, in Brief

Workgroups exist for one purpose: to help develop and refine the Desirable Properties into Version 1.0. It's a bounded commitment, not a permanent committee – after Version 1.0 publishes, participants decide whether and how they'd like to keep contributing.

Members read drafts, discuss on the book, patch on Gov Hub, and join workgroup discussion at their own pace – no obligation to attend every meeting. Coordinators and Co-Leads facilitate; they don't own a property or make unilateral calls.

See all workgroup roles → or browse DP workgroups →

Recognition Through Desirable Properties Badges

Every contribution helps build the foundation of the Meta-Layer, and meaningful participation will be recognized through the Desirable Properties Badge system.

Badge artwork

1 of 23 Desirable Properties

Illustration for Desirable Property DP1: Federated Authentication & Accountability

DP1

Federated Authentication & Accountability

Each Desirable Property has its own badge. Contributors earn the property badge for the DP they help refine; role overlays and contribution evidence can be added over time.

View DP page →Discuss chapterAll badges →

  • One badge per Desirable Property

    Contributing to a specific DP earns that property’s badge. Over time, contributors build a portfolio of the Meta-Layer areas they helped shape.

  • Role overlays

    Badges can carry overlays such as Member, Workgroup Coordinator, Co-Lead, Reviewer, Patch Contributor, or Steward – reflecting how you participated.

  • Contribution evidence

    Minted badges can link to patches, workgroup docs, discussions, PRs, research, and other public records – recognition tied to real work.

  • Not governance rights

    Badges recognize contribution. They do not confer ownership, authority, or voting power by themselves.

Browse the full gallery and mint preview links on the badges page →

Why Participate?

The Meta-Layer will shape how people collaborate, govern, coordinate, learn, create, and build trust online. The Desirable Properties are our opportunity to define the capabilities that infrastructure should support before those capabilities become code.

Your experience matters. Whether you are a technologist, researcher, designer, educator, policymaker, community organizer, entrepreneur, student, or simply someone with ideas about a better Internet, your perspective can help strengthen this shared foundation.

Together, we can build infrastructure that better serves humanity.

Ready to Help?

Choose the level of participation that fits your schedule. No matter how you contribute, you'll be helping define the foundational requirements that guide the next generation of Internet infrastructure.

View the Challenge timelineOpen Gov Hub