I'm 75, building an OSS Virtual Protest Protocol for digital activism
Hi 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.…
In plain words
The Virtual Protest Protocol is an open-source framework for organizing large-scale digital demonstrations using 2D avatars. Designed for activists and civil society groups, it lets participants express support, opposition, or observation on issues, rather than forcing binary choices. The system includes AI-powered moderation to encourage respectful discussion, prioritizes user privacy with minimal data retention, and aims for financial sustainability through commercial licensing and creator royalties.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi 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.
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