# Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO)

### Stone Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO)

At Stone, decentralisation goes beyond just technology—it extends to governance itself. The Stone platform is committed to giving power back to its users by establishing a **Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO)**. Through this model, users are no longer passive participants but key decision-makers in the future direction of the platform. By using their STON tokens, they can propose, discuss, and vote on the most important matters affecting the Stone ecosystem.

#### Governance Model

The Stone DAO empowers the community to shape the development and growth of the platform in a transparent, secure, and democratic manner. Token holders with a stake in the platform are given the ability to influence major decisions and contribute to the project’s evolution.

**Eligibility and Participation**

* **Voting Rights:** Any user holding **1,000 or more STON tokens** is eligible to vote in governance proposals. This threshold ensures that those with a vested interest in the platform have a say in its development.
* **Proposal Submission:** Users who meet the token holding requirement can not only vote but also **submit proposals** for consideration. Whether it's changes to the platform's features, economic adjustments, or strategic partnerships, the community leads the conversation.

#### Categories of Proposals

The Stone governance structure is organised into three main categories of proposals, each with its own requirements and rules. This categorisation ensures that every level of decision-making receives the proper attention based on its importance and potential impact.

1. **Strategic Proposals**\
   These proposals involve **fundamental changes** to the platform, such as expansion to new blockchains, major partnerships, or modifications to the core protocol. Strategic proposals have a high potential impact on the platform's direction and future.
   * **Eligibility:** To submit a strategic proposal, a user must hold at least **10,000 STON tokens**.
   * **Approval:** Strategic proposals require **60% approval** from the community to be implemented.
   * **Voting Duration:** Voting on strategic proposals remains open for a minimum of **14 days**, allowing time for community discussions.
2. **Operational Proposals**\
   These proposals are focused on **technical and functional adjustments**, such as performance improvements, changes to the staking system, or tweaks to the monetisation model. Operational proposals ensure that the platform runs efficiently and that its features evolve with user needs.
   * **Eligibility:** Any user holding **1,000 STON tokens** can submit an operational proposal.
   * **Approval:** Operational proposals need **51% approval** to be enacted.
   * **Voting Duration:** Voting remains open for **7 days**.
3. **Community Proposals**\
   These proposals are related to **community engagement**, incentive programs, and social initiatives. Community proposals foster collaboration and help shape the cultural and social aspects of the platform.
   * **Eligibility:** Any user can submit a community proposal, regardless of their token holdings.
   * **Approval:** Community proposals require **30% approval** from the community.
   * **Voting Duration:** Voting remains open for **5 days**, encouraging quick but meaningful action on community matters.

#### Voting and Decision-Making

Voting on the Stone platform takes place directly on-chain, ensuring that every decision is secure, immutable, and transparent. The process is designed to give all eligible participants a fair opportunity to influence the outcome.

1. **On-chain Voting:**
   * Every vote is securely recorded on the blockchain, ensuring that results are tamper-proof and fully transparent. Anyone can verify the voting outcomes in real-time.
2. **Weighted Votes:**
   * Voting power is proportional to the number of STON tokens a user holds. This weighted system ensures that those with larger stakes in the platform have more influence, but the **1,000-token minimum** guarantees a diverse set of voices in decision-making.

#### Staking and Voting Synergy

For users participating in the Stone staking program, governance rights extend even further. Those who stake their STON tokens not only earn rewards but also gain enhanced influence within the DAO. Staking aligns long-term commitment with decision-making power, giving stakers a stronger voice in determining reward structures and other platform decisions related to staking.

#### Vesting for Team and Advisors

To ensure long-term alignment of interests between the core team, advisors, and the community, the allocation of tokens to team members and advisors will follow a vesting schedule of **33 months**, with a **6-month cliff**. After the cliff, **3.7% of the allocated tokens will be released monthly** until the vesting period ends. This ensures that those involved in the project's foundation remain engaged over the long term, contributing to its sustained success.

#### Why DAO Governance Matters

The Stone DAO is not just a governance tool—it's a commitment to decentralisation. In traditional social networks, decisions are made by centralised entities, often to the detriment of the user base. At Stone, we’re flipping that model. Our DAO ensures that **users, creators, and stakeholders** are directly involved in decisions that impact their experience and the future of the platform. By fostering this participatory approach, Stone aims to create a vibrant, thriving, and engaged community where every user has a voice.

#### Conclusion

The Stone DAO is the cornerstone of our decentralised governance philosophy. With a transparent, community-driven approach, we aim to revolutionise how social networks operate, making them truly democratic and accountable to their users. The power to shape the future of Stone rests in the hands of its users, making it a platform governed by the people, for the people.
