A Rewarding Challenge
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has initiated a bug bounty program that generously offers 20 Bitcoins as a reward. With a value exceeding half a million dollars, this challenge seeks to enhance Bitcoin’s functionality, especially for global activists.
The Aim: Betterment of Bitcoin’s User Experience
The heart of this initiative lies in refining the Bitcoin protocol, with a particular emphasis on mobile wallet user experience. Ten critical improvements have been identified for this task.
HRF’s Chief Strategy Officer, Alex Gladstein, shared with Decrypt that these improvements were inspired by interactions with global activists. “The modifications we’re looking for are the ones many hope to see incorporated into Bitcoin,” he stated.
Bounty Details
Each identified improvement carries a bounty of 2 BTC, roughly valued at $60,000 based on CoinGecko’s estimation. The bounties focus on addressing some of the current challenges Bitcoin faces. Notably, six of these challenges are directed towards enhancing the mobile wallet experience.
- One notable bounty focuses on developing open-source design elements for Bitcoin endeavors. At present, many such projects heavily depend on a proprietary design tool, Figma. HRF’s vision is to offer developers a complimentary Bitcoin User Interface (UI) guide.
- Another challenge seeks to augment the growth of Nostr, a censorship-proof social platform endorsed by Jack Dorsey. This network has recently attracted considerable attention, particularly from the technically-inclined within the cryptocurrency community.
- In terms of Bitcoin wallets, one bounty focuses on enabling the generation and memorization of seed phrases. This is crucial for those crossing international borders, a practice HRF aims to facilitate globally.
Funding and Purpose
The hefty reward sum for these bounties originates from HRF’s Bitcoin Development Fund. This fund operates as a segment of the Foundation dedicated to broadening financial freedom for human rights defenders globally.
Alex Gladstein emphasized HRF’s perspective on Bitcoin as a tool for financial liberty. “Bitcoin and financial autonomy are intertwined with the global fight for human rights,” he remarked. Furthermore, he mentioned the regular financial attacks human rights advocates face. “Bitcoin offers them a lifeline to continue their essential work,” he added.
Current Status and Future Potential
As of now, the bounties remain unclaimed. However, interested parties have until the close of 2024 to participate.
Concluding his statement to Decrypt, Gladstein expressed hope about the potential impact of these bounties. “This is somewhat of a trial for us. If it yields positive results, it might inspire other institutions to adopt a similar approach.”
