1.1 Name
The name of this organization is the Arena of Public Opinion Public Trust.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of the Trust is to:
•.Promote transparent, fact-based civic engagement for the benefit of U.S. citizens.
•.Provide a platform where constituents can organize, petition, and engage with their elected and appointed officials.
•.Enforce honesty and accountability through strict rules and fair adjudication mechanisms.
•.Ensure privacy for constituents while maintaining transparency for public figures and lobbying entities.
2.1 Board of Trustees
The Trust shall be governed by a Board of Trustees, which oversees the Trust’s operations and ensures adherence to its mission.
2.2 Composition
•.The Board shall consist of a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of nine (9) Trustees.
•.Initial Trustees are appointed by the Grantor; subsequent Trustees are elected by the Board.
2.3 Term Limits
•.Trustees serve four-year terms and may be re-elected for up to two consecutive terms.
•.After serving two terms, a Trustee must wait two years before becoming eligible for reappointment.
2.4 Responsibilities
The Trustees shall:
•.Ensure that the platform operates in alignment with the Trust’s mission.
•.Approve the annual budget and oversee financial management.
•.Establish policies for user privacy, honesty enforcement, and public transparency.
•.Monitor and approve rules for the Court of Facts and the Court of Conduct.
•.Oversee the registration and activities of lobbying entities and pundits.
2.5 Officers of the Board
•.Chairperson: Presides over meetings, sets agendas, and represents the Trust publicly.
•.Vice Chairperson: Assists the Chairperson and assumes duties in their absence.
•.Treasurer: Manages the Trust’s finances, prepares budgets, and ensures compliance with financial regulations.
•.Secretary: Maintains records, minutes of meetings, and official correspondence.
3.1 Regular Meetings
•.The Board of Trustees shall meet at least quarterly.
•.Meeting dates shall be set at the beginning of each fiscal year.
3.2 Special Meetings
•.Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or a majority of Trustees with at least seven (7) days’ notice.
3.3 Quorum
A majority of the Trustees constitutes a quorum for conducting business.
3.4 Decision-Making
•.Decisions require a simple majority vote unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws.
•.Amendments to the Bylaws or Declaration of Trust require a two-thirds majority vote.
4.1 Beneficiaries
All U.S. citizens are beneficiaries of the Trust, with the following roles defined within the system:
•.Constituents:
•.Regular users of the platform who have full privacy protections.
•.May participate in petitions, voting, and public forums.
•.Pundits:
•.Public figures registered within the system.
•.Must adhere to strict honesty standards and transparency rules.
•.May be downgraded to constituent status for rule violations.
•.Elected and Appointed Officials:
•.Required to register within the system and maintain virtual “Offices.”
•.Messages from constituents and pundits are public by default.
•.Lobbyists:
•.Registered entities representing organizations or interest groups.
•.May not communicate with elected or appointed officials within the system.
•.All activities are publicly accessible for review and critique.
5.1 Privacy Protections
•.Constituents: Personal information and interactions are private unless voluntarily made public.
•.Pundits: All activities within the system are public records.
•.Elected and Appointed Officials: Messages from constituents and pundits are public and viewable by all system users.
5.2 Transparency Standards
•.Lobbyists and organizations must disclose funding sources, affiliations, and goals.
•.Any fraudulent or misleading activities will result in penalties, including expulsion from the system.
6.1 Violations and Muting
•.Users who violate platform rules may be muted, restricting their ability to send messages, participate in forums, or respond to threads.
•.Muted users retain their right to vote and sign petitions.
6.2 Sentencing Guidelines
•.Minor Violations: 24 hours to 7 days.
•.Moderate Violations: 7 days to 30 days.
•.Severe Violations: Indefinite muting, pending adjudication by the Court of Conduct.
6.3 Pundit Downgrades
•.Pundits who violate rules may be downgraded to constituent status. Severe violations may result in muting.
7.1 Court of Facts
•.Adjudicates disputes over factual claims made within the system.
•.Composed of panels of experts and randomly selected users.
7.2 Court of Conduct
•.Adjudicates violations of platform rules.
•.Structure includes a Judge, Jury, Prosecutor, and Defender.
7.3 Appeals Process
•.Users may appeal decisions to the Board of Trustees for final review.
8.1 Budgeting
•.The Treasurer shall prepare an annual budget for approval by the Board.
8.2 Revenue Sources
•.Donations, grants, and non-monetary contributions.
•.Revenue from system coin transactions for educational or virtual rewards.
8.3 Transparency
•.Financial reports shall be published annually and made available to the public.
9.1 Proposal Process
•.Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by any Trustee or through a petition signed by at least 5% of system users.
9.2 Approval
•.Amendments require a two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Trustees and a 30-day public review period for beneficiary feedback.
10.1 Conditions for Dissolution
•.The Trust may be dissolved only if its mission becomes impossible to fulfill.
10.2 Asset Distribution
•.Upon dissolution, all assets shall be transferred to a nonprofit organization with a similar mission, as approved by the Board and beneficiaries.
Certification
These Bylaws were adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Arena of Public Opinion Public Trust on [Insert Date].
Signatures:
Chairperson: ____________________________
Vice Chairperson: ________________________
Treasurer: ______________________________
Secretary: ______________________________