Internet Computer founder proposes a $250 million plan to help end Ukraine war

Internet Computer (ICP) and DFINITY founder Dominic Williams has come up with a wacky plan to hasten the end of Russia's invasion of Ukraine through smart contracts and $250 million worth of cryptocurrency rewards.

Launched in May 2021, DFINITY's Internet Computer is a public blockchain and protocol that seeks to decentralize the Internet.

Williams' March 16 proposal focused on countering propaganda to educate the Russian population - who Williams says is generally "ignorant" - of the realities of what is actually happening in Ukraine, which in turn spurs them to pressure the government to end the conflict .

Williams wrote: "We shouldn't have too much hope that sanctions alone will turn the Russian people against their leaders, for the simple reason that they control their own media, which dutifully deliver well-crafted propaganda and disinformation."

Its proposal sees blockchain technology and smart contracts as a way for large numbers of certified Russian citizens to watch "informational media" about the war together at virtual reality parties called "people parties":

"Each participant who proves their personal identity through the people party system will be identified as an individual by the smart contract. The system prevents cheating, and in each run, a person can only participate once."

The post added: “In this proposal, a smart contract will open a new encrypted account for each successful participant, which they can access and control using their internet identity.”

To incentivize citizens, Williams proposed, rewards in cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin and ethereum, could be used. Every Russian citizen will be required to watch the video until it ends, as the password tied to their account will not be unlocked until all the content has been consumed.

Williams wrote: "Video will tell the truth about the war in Ukraine and ask the Russians to pressure the government to cease hostilities. How best to make such a video should be left to talented filmmakers. No watermark should be provided The version is available for download, allowing the recipient to show the video to others."

The $250 million proposed by Williams is based on his proposal to pay participants $50 for each video view, hoping to attract 5 million Russians to watch the informative videos.

The plan relies on a number of contingencies being in place, not the least of which is that the internet stays online and free from Russian government interference to facilitate such an ambitious plan. The response on Twitter noted that Moscow officials were reportedly considering cutting Russia off from cyberspace.

“Moscow is preparing to cut Russia off from cyberspace. While officials have denied the move, leaked information suggests it will begin rolling out the strategy on government websites this Friday”

I wonder how people will see these videos

— Nicolas.icp (@ICbicycle) March 15, 2022

Other Twitter users dismissed the idea. For example, user "Omega.ic3" slammed the move as a PR stunt:

"The idea has no real chance of swaying public opinion in Russia. So it looks like a cheap PR gimmick trying to profit off of it by pandering to popular opinion and gaining exposure."

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