Proposal

The Problem: Declining Trust in Digital Advocacy

Trust in democratic institutions is eroding. Citizens feel unheard, while elected representatives—inundated with emails—struggle to distinguish genuine constituent messages from spam or automated campaigns. Current tools for civic participation fall short:

• Petition platforms lack verification, making it easy to dismiss signatures as inauthentic
• Email campaigns often trigger skepticism—are these real people or bots?
• Official mechanisms (like the European Citizens’ Initiative) are secure but slow and bureaucratic, failing to facilitate direct dialogue

Without trust, even well-intentioned digital activism loses impact.

Our Solution: Lightweight, Privacy-First Verification

We are developing a free, open-source system to verify that messages sent to policymakers (starting with MEPs) come from real constituents—without compromising privacy or accessibility. This system:

• Validates supporters through multiple methods (from simple email checks to eID wallets)
• Gives representatives confidence that messages are authentic
• Protects privacy by design, avoiding centralized data collection

It’s part of our broader Circular Democracy initiative but works as a standalone tool for any level of government.

How It Works: A Multi-Layered Approach

Unlike voting systems (which require strict identity checks), we use adaptive validation—balancing security with ease of participation.

1. Email Validation (“Click to Confirm”)

• When a supporter emails an MEP, they receive a verification request (“Did you send this? Click to confirm”)
• Simple, familiar (like double opt-in), and effective against bots

2. Domain & Alias Reputation Checks

• Detects suspicious patterns (e.g., bulk emails from temporary domains)
• Adjusts validation requirements dynamically—more scrutiny for high-risk senders, less for trusted sources

3. Proof-of-Work CAPTCHA (cap.js)

• Lightweight puzzles to slow down bots without frustrating humans
• Works even if JavaScript is disabled

4. Optional eIDAS 2.0 (EU Digital ID Wallets)

• Supporters can optionally verify with national eIDs for higher trust
• Falls back to email checks if eID isn’t available or user prefers privacy

Technical Implementation

For Campaigns & NGOs

• API integration: Campaign tools can flag pre-validated supporters (e.g., “This user already confirmed their email”)
• Sender Rewriting Scheme (SRS): Ensures replies reach the right person without exposing real emails

For Representatives (MEPs)

• Dedicated campaign mailboxes: We provide a secure inbox for verified messages, or they can forward emails to our system
• Encryption & privacy:
  • End-to-end encryption (if MEPs provide a PGP key)
  • Time-limited email aliases prevent data harvesting
  • Automatic deletion of personal data after replies

For Citizens

• No mandatory accounts—just simple verification steps
• Choice in how to prove authenticity (from email checks to eID)

Why This Matters

For Citizens

• Your voice won’t be dismissed as “fake”
• Transparent tracking: See if your rep responded

For Representatives

• Fewer spam messages—focus on real constituents
• Auditable proof that campaigns are legitimate

For Democracy

• Rebuilds trust in digital participation
• Closes the feedback loop: Encourages real dialogue, not one-way campaigns

Next Steps: Funding & Development

We’re seeking seed funding (via NGI0 Commons Fund) to build:

• Core email infrastructure (Milter/Sieve filters, SRS handling)
• Identity verification pilots (eIDAS 2.0 integration)
• Documentation for replication

Long-term, this could become public civic infrastructure—free, open-source, and maintained by civil society.

Join Us

This isn’t just about fixing email. It’s about making democracy more responsive.

Interested in testing, contributing, or funding?
Contact us!

By bridging the gap between scale and trust, we can turn digital activism into real democratic engagement.