Proof of Human

Definition ∞ Proof of Human is a mechanism designed to verify that an online participant is a real, unique human being and not an automated bot or multiple synthetic accounts. This concept is crucial in decentralized systems to prevent Sybil attacks, where a single entity controls numerous pseudonymous identities to gain disproportionate influence. Various methods are employed, ranging from CAPTCHAs and behavioral analysis to more advanced cryptographic attestations and biometric verification. Its purpose is to ensure fair participation, prevent manipulation, and maintain the integrity of decentralized governance and resource distribution.
Context ∞ The discussion surrounding Proof of Human protocols is particularly relevant in decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and universal basic income (UBI) initiatives operating on blockchain. A key challenge involves creating a system that is both highly secure against sophisticated bots and accessible to a global user base without compromising privacy or requiring intrusive personal data. Watching the development of novel, privacy-preserving attestations of humanness, such as those leveraging zero-knowledge proofs or secure multi-party computation, will be significant. The success of these protocols will directly impact the resilience and fairness of future decentralized digital ecosystems.