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The Grass Approach: Transparency, Innovation, and Compliance in a Decentralized Future

Grass is committed to empowering everyone to reclaim ownership over their unused internet bandwidth and redefine the internet’s underlying incentive structure. Our community-first strategy is founded on the highest privacy, security, and safety standards. This post details our approach to building a system that empowers users and gives better transparency for AI development.

For too long, large corporations have benefited from internet users’ unused internet bandwidth without fairly compensating them. Standard web proxying practices exploit people’s unused internet bandwidth without explicit permission, often hiding permissions deep within lengthy Terms of Service. Companies leverage popular apps on mobile phones, smart TVs, and laptops to create vast residential proxy networks that they use to sell web access to companies worldwide. 

Accessing accurate information on the web is critical for companies building products (including AI models), supporting their operations, and delivering services that people rely on. However, regular internet users should have more precise terms, permissions, and incentives to participate in sharing the resources that enable companies to do this. By downloading the Grass app, users are empowered to take control of their internet resources by voluntarily sharing their unused internet bandwidth. Instead of corporations benefiting at people’s expense, Grass users are rewarded for their contributions and become part of a network that works for them.

Putting users in control of their bandwidth

The Grass model is clear: users are rewarded for contributing to the network and have complete control to opt out anytime. Unlike traditional web proxying, where companies use bandwidth without compensation, Grass ensures explicit permission and rewards. 

Users’ unused internet can be safely and ethically used to help companies build better services, conduct research, and access accurate, real-world insights. Verified institutions are able to leverage Grass’ ethical, unbiased, and equal access to public web data for a range of use cases:

  • Providing a diverse set of real-world data to improve AI performance.
  • Supporting universities and institutions to conduct research that’s performed best with a broad, decentralized dataset.
  • Empowering businesses to verify regional pricing, ensuring localized ad compliance, and improving cybersecurity.
  • Enhancing weather forecasting by using decentralized meteorological data to provide accurate forecasts for agriculture, airlines, and logistics companies.  
  • Promoting governmental transparency and informed journalism by tracking government actions, corporate filings, and legal documents that can help expose corruption and hold powerful entities accountable. 

Transparent and community-driven rewards 

To reward users for sharing their unused internet bandwidth, Grass awards Grass Points, which are later converted into Grass Tokens. Grass Points are calculated each day based on the amount of time spent connected to the network, the quality of their network connection, the location(s) of the users’ internet connection, and the way that the users’ internet bandwidth is used by the Grass network. Users also receive Grass Points based on the contributions of users that they have referred to the network.  Grass Tokens, the network’s digital utility token, secures network performance by incentivizing decentralized routers and empowering holders to participate in governance—proposing improvements, selecting partner organizations, and shaping incentive mechanisms. Distribution of the network’s tokens grants digital ownership of this critical internet infrastructure to those that power it.

The Grass business model is based on voluntary user participation and distinctly differs from recruitment-driven or sales-based structures. Grass does not require purchases, membership fees, or investments to participate in the network. Grass users willingly share only their excess internet bandwidth and are explicitly made aware of their participation in this sharing. Grass users are compensated for bandwidth sharing without any mandatory or hidden costs. 

Putting security first 

When harnessing Grass users’ freely shared extra internet bandwidth, Grass only accesses publicly available web data. Grass prioritizes users’ privacy, security, and compliance and cannot access any personal information other than the user's Grass username, email address, password, public digital wallet Address, IP address, and referral code (if applicable). The network cannot see any information on your connected device or your browsing activity. We participate in the Anti-Malware Testing and Standards Organization (AMTSO) with partners such as the Cloud Security Alliance and Nord Security. In addition, we work closely with leading cybersecurity service providers who monitor Grass products 24/7, 365 days a year, actively reviewing them for vulnerabilities, leaks, backdoors, and malware to ensure they remain safe and secure.

We have also achieved the AppEsteem certification, which certifies that Grass products are safe-listed by top anti-malware applications, such as Avast, Microsoft Defender, McAfee, AVG, and more. Grass is also committed to regulatory compliance and responsible innovation. Our team collaborates closely with regulatory experts and legal counsel to ensure our platform complies with legal requirements. As regulations evolve, Grass remains proactive in adapting to legal and industry standards, ensuring compliance, security, and long-term sustainability for our community.

TL;DR: 

  • Grass prioritizes user control, accountability, and explicit consent, ensuring bandwidth sharing for web scraping is free and voluntary. 
  • Users can opt in or out of sharing bandwidth at any time. 
  • Grass rewards users based on their contributions to the network.
  • Grass upholds strict privacy standards, never accessing or selling private data. 
  • With certifications from industry-leading cybersecurity organizations like AppEsteem, Grass works to provide all users with a secure and reliable experience.

These practices set Grass apart in building a safe, compliant, user-centric network that empowers internet users to maintain control over a resource they already own–their unused internet bandwidth. We recognize that new technologies often invite skepticism, and we encourage open, thoughtful discussions around Grass and how our platform functions. As Grass grows, privacy and security will always be a priority. Our commitment to users remains unchanged: transparency, fairness, and putting control in their hands.

Interested in learning more about Grass? We invite you to explore our FAQs, blog, and engage with the broader Grass community on Reddit, X, and Discord.