Show HN: I'm 75, building an OSS Virtual Protest Protocol for digital activism
github.comHi HN,
I’m a 75-year-old former fishmonger from Japan, currently working on compensation claims for victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Witnessing social divisions and bureaucratic limitations firsthand, I realized we need a new way for people to express their will without being “disposable.”
To address this, I designed the Virtual Protest Protocol (VPP) ? an open-source framework for large-scale, 2D avatar-based digital demonstrations.
Key Features:
Beyond Yes/No: Adds an "Observe" option for the silent majority
Economic Sustainability: Funds global activism through U.S. commercial operations and avatar creator royalties
AI Moderation: LLMs maintain civil discourse in real-time
Privacy First: Minimal data retention ? only anonymous attributes, no personal IDs after the event
I shared this with the Open Technology Fund (OTF) and received positive feedback. Now, I’m looking for software engineers, designers, and OSS collaborators to help implement this as a robust project. I am not seeking personal gain; my goal is to leave this infrastructure for the next generation.
Links:
GitHub: https://github.com/voice-of-japan/Virtual-Protest-Protocol/b...
Project Site: https://voice-of-japan.net
Technical Notes:
Scalable 2D Rendering: 3?4 static frames per avatar, looped for movement
Cell-Based Grid System: Manages thousands of avatars efficiently, instantiates new cells as participation grows
Low Barrier to Entry: Accessible on low-spec smartphones and low-bandwidth environments
We are looking for collaborators with expertise in:
Backend/Real-Time Architecture: Node.js, Go, etc.
Frontend/Canvas Rendering: Handling thousands of avatars
AI Moderation / LLM Integration
OSS Governance & Project Management
If you’re interested, have technical advice, or want to join the build, please check the GitHub link and reach out. Your feedback and contribution can help make this infrastructure real and sustainable.
Amazing - congrats on this work. Do I understand it correctly that the goal of the platform is help organise online protests? If so, I would love to understand how this approach is different from using something like change.org. I have read through the linked README and it looks sophisticated and technical - I'm just wondering if this is the best way to protest online.
Thank you for the upvotes. I chose a 2D avatar system (sprite sheets) because during my time in Fukushima, I realized that high-spec hardware and high-speed internet aren't always available to everyone. I want this "Virtual Protest" to be accessible even on older smartphones, ensuring no voice is left behind due to a digital divide.