Constitution

PREAMBLE

The Erefugia DAO is a federated social network node and community space rooted in democratic governance, transparency, and inclusivity. Its purpose is to ensure collective ownership and fair decision-making over technical, social, and financial aspects of the the Erefugia Cooperative and Social Network.

ARTICLE I — MEMBERSHIP

Accounts as Members

Every registered account on Refugium has read access to the DAO.

People as Members

Members who can demonstrate they are unique human beings by providing Proof of Personhood (PoP) receive enhanced governance rights. Verification can be achieved in two ways:

• Attestation Method: A threshold number of existing members (e.g., 3 or more) vouch that the account represents a unique person.

• Third-Party Verification Method: A recognized, privacy-respecting identity verification service confirms uniqueness.

Revocation of Membership Rights

If an account or person is found to be fraudulent, abusive, or automated (bot), its/their governance rights can be suspended or reduced (see Article IV).

ARTICLE II — VOTING POWER

Determined by Account Type

• Pseudonymous Accounts: 0 Votes

• Verified Accounts: 1 Vote

Equality Safeguard

No account may possess more than 1 votes in total, regardless of status of verification.

ARTICLE III — GOVERNANCE PROCESS

Proposal Creation

Any member may submit a governance proposal.

Proposals must include: description, rationale, implementation path, and potential costs.

Deliberation

Proposals are open for discussion in designated forums before voting begins.

Voting

All votes are cast transparently via the DAO’s governance platform.

Voting periods must remain open for a minimum of 7 days.

Decision Thresholds

Standard proposals pass with a simple majority of votes cast.

Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority of all votes cast and at least 20% of all active members participating.

ARTICLE IV — BOT & ABUSE MITIGATION

Reporting Mechanism

Any member may flag an account as a suspected bot or abusive actor.

Review Process

A randomly selected panel of 5–15 DAO members (jury) is convened to review evidence.

The panel’s recommendation is submitted as a binding vote of the full DAO.

Outcomes

Confirmed bot/abuse: Account’s voting power is reduced to 0 votes (suspension).

False report: The reporting member receives a caution; repeated malicious reporting may lead to loss of voting privileges.

Appeals

Affected accounts may appeal decisions through a new proposal, requiring a majority vote for reinstatement.

ARTICLE V — TREASURY & ASSETS

Custody

DAO assets are held in a multi-signature wallet controlled by elected stewards, subject to DAO votes.

Expenditures

Any spending of treasury funds must be authorized by a DAO proposal and vote.

ARTICLE VI — STEWARDS

Roles

Stewards are elected members responsible for day-to-day technical, moderation, and financial management.

Accountability

Stewards must provide regular reports to the DAO.

The DAO may recall stewards by majority vote.

ARTICLE VII — TRANSPARENCY

Public Records

All proposals, votes, financial transactions, and moderation decisions must be logged and accessible to all members.

Privacy Respect

Proof-of-personhood methods must minimize exposure of personal data, favoring privacy-preserving attestations whenever possible.

ARTICLE VIII — AMENDMENTS

Amendments to this Constitution require a two-thirds majority and a quorum of 20% of active members.