Cooperative Kleros Vs. Ricky: The 50 ETH Trial

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On July 31st 2018, we launched the Kleros protocol on the Ethereum mainnet with a pilot called Doges on Trial. It was a curated list application which relied on user submissions to create a list of Doge memes.

This cryptoeconomic experiment offered a reward of 50 ETH to whoever was able to sneak a cat image into the list. For this to happen, the image had to go unchallenged to be accepted onto the list or, after being challenged, had to be ruled as a “Doge” by jurors.

This 50 ETH reward was a way for us to test the cryptoeconomic robustness of the Kleros system, such as resistance to bribe attempts and other attack vectors. Our expectation was that Kleros jurors would be resilient against any such attacks.

Many attempts were done by users to collect the 50 ETH reward. Some included bribing jurors (sometimes, with mechanisms as sophisticated as p+epsilon attacks), submitting photoshopped pictures and other strategies. (To learn more about the results of each different attack, read this post.)

The attacks failed.

But then came the cat in the snow…

The Facts

Towards the end of the experiment, the following image was submitted into the Doges on Trial website. As the image did not get challenged during the initial Challenge Period (24 hours), it was accepted into the list a day after.

Is this a Doge or a cat? That is the question...

The submitter claimed that this was the image of a cat and requested the 50 ETH reward.

This was the argument:

I think the definition of what is a "doge" is ill-defined as it should be because it's a meme meant to describe a general idea but also flexible enough for people to interpret as they wish for maximal creativity / internet fun.

Is a doge a specific picture of the famous shiba inu? or all shiba inus? and does it have to include the famous face or can the face be swapped or taken from an angle? or at least for me, whenever I see a shiba inu on the internet or IRL, I scream "HEY IT'S A DOGE! 😍"

I can totally see myself screaming "HEY IT'S A DOGE!" at the cat picture I submitted only to be fooled just like a bunch of people did on the Internet did as covered in the article and Tweet I submitted as proof.

The submitter argued when asked for comment before the trial:

"Technically, nothing is “hidden” in this picture. The picture is simply taken at an angle."

The image of this cat has been the subject of a viral tweet which tricked many people into thinking it was in fact a Shiba Inu. This is the substance of the submitters' argument.

The position of Coopérative Kleros, which I represent as President, is that the image does not comply with the conditions of the payout policy, which was stated as follows:

“To be considered valid, a picture must clearly display a doge or a cat. Pictures with hidden doges or cats will not be considered as valid if a normal observer would not be able to see it without help (e.g., an image with a doge only a few px large would not be considered valid, because an observer would be unable to see it with plain sight).”

It is the opinion of Coopérative Kleros that the submitted image does not comply with the payout policy in the sense that it does not “clearly display” a cat.

Hence, it is not eligible for the 50 ETH reward.

Seen from a different perspective, the submitted image could very well be of this adorable Shiba Inu. As it doesn't "clearly display a cat" as was required in the payout policy, it does not qualify for the 50 ETH reward. This is the position of Coopérative Kleros.

The Trial

Coopérative Kleros and the submitter have agreed to settle the dispute using the recently launched Kleros Escrow Dapp. This dApp allows users to conduct escrow transactions backed by Kleros dispute resolution.

Here you can see the completed contract. A dispute will be created and Kleros jurors will decide the outcome.

Coopérative Kleros has sent 50 ETH into this escrow contract. Funds will be held in escrow until June 11th, when a Kleros court session will take place in the General Court to decide on which side is right. The initial period for providing evidence will last for 78 hours.

You can track the trial as it unfolds at this link.

The initial jury will consist of 3 jurors. In the case of an appeal, the number of jurors will increase to double +1 (7). The number of jurors will increase in the same manner in the case of further appeals.

Jurors will analyze the evidence and come to a decision.

After a decision is made, the 50 ETH will be released to the winning side. The outcome of this process shall be considered final.

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