Skip to main content
Author - Maka Pono

LIFE Protocol

LIFE Protocol Specification

This section contains the core specifications, guarantees, and conformance requirements for the LIFE Protocol.

Compliance Checklist​

Conformance to LIFE Core

Use this checklist to evaluate whether an implementation, application, or policy is LIFE-conformant.

Section A – Identity & Authority​

  • ☐ Identity is not custodial
  • ☐ No platform or service can seize, reclaim, or impersonate identity
  • ☐ Identity is treated as continuity over time, not an account
  • ☐ Key rotation and recovery are supported without breaking identity

Fail if: identity can be frozen, revoked, or reassigned by a third party.

Section B – Consent & Scope​

  • ☐ All permissions are explicit and purpose-bound
  • ☐ Consent is revocable at any time
  • ☐ Authority is scoped by time, context, and function
  • ☐ Silence or default settings are not treated as consent

Fail if: permissions persist silently or exceed their declared scope.

Section C – Privacy & Separation​

  • ☐ Identity, reputation, authority, and value are separate by design
  • ☐ Contexts (wallets, environments, roles) are isolated by default
  • ☐ No cross-context correlation without explicit consent
  • ☐ Privacy is structural, not cosmetic

Fail if: activity in one context automatically exposes another.

Section D – Proofs & Verification​

  • ☐ Interactions use proof-based verification, not logins
  • ☐ Applications verify claims without retaining identity material
  • ☐ Proofs are purpose-specific and non-reusable outside context
  • ☐ Verification does not require surveillance

Fail if: users must be tracked to be trusted.

Section E – Reputation & Disputes​

  • ☐ No global or permanent reputation scores exist
  • ☐ Reputation consists of contextual signals, not rankings
  • ☐ LIFE does not adjudicate disputes
  • ☐ LIFE does not enforce outcomes or penalties

Fail if: reputation becomes punishment or identity.

Section F – Law & Governance​

  • ☐ LIFE does not exercise sovereign authority
  • ☐ Courts, regulators, and lawful processes remain intact
  • ☐ LIFE preserves evidence, not enforcement power
  • ☐ Participation is voluntary and non-exclusive

Fail if: LIFE substitutes for law or compels compliance.

Section G – Infrastructure Roles​

  • ☐ Witnesses attest to events, not judgments
  • ☐ Watchers observe conditions, not people
  • ☐ No single actor can rewrite history or enforce behavior
  • ☐ Infrastructure serves participants, not platforms

Fail if: infrastructure gains decision-making power.

Section H – Exit & Longevity​

  • ☐ Participants can revoke access and exit at any time
  • ☐ Data can be returned to the participant
  • ☐ Systems support long-term continuity and stewardship
  • ☐ No platform lock-in exists

Fail if: users are trapped or lose access to their history.

Compliance Declaration​

An implementation may claim “LIFE-Conformant” only if all applicable sections pass. Partial compliance must be disclosed explicitly.

Canonical Rule (Binding)​

LIFE is open in principle, precise in interface, and private in enforcement.

Any implementation that violates this rule is not LIFE-conformant, regardless of branding or claims.

Intended Use​

This checklist may be used by:

  • developers during build reviews
  • governments during pilot evaluation
  • auditors during compliance assessment
  • partners during integration approval