FactHarbor Open Source, Governance & Financing Model

Version 0.1 (Draft)

0. Overview

FactHarbor is a long-term public knowledge infrastructure.

Its governance model must ensure:

• Integrity against manipulation
• Transparency of reasoning and code
• Longevity beyond any single founder
• Sustainability via realistic financing
• Openness without compromising trust
• Legal compliance under Swiss, EU, and US frameworks

This document defines the Open Source Model, Governance Model, and Financing Model across two phases:

• '''Startup Phase''' — Founder-led, lightweight, flexible
• '''Non-Profit Organisation (Swiss Verein) Phase''' — Stable, community-governed, mission-locked

The transition is triggered by maturity and community growth, not a predetermined date.

1. Licensing Model

1.1 Open Source License — AGPLv3

The GNU Affero General Public License v3 (AGPLv3) is selected because it:

• Ensures full transparency of all server-side modifications
• Forces any fork or remote service to publish source code
• Protects against hidden logic changes (critical for truth-based systems)
• Allows commercial activity if and only if source modifications remain open
  AGPLv3 is the strongest available license aligned with FactHarbor’s mission of trust, transparency, and manipulation resistance.

1.2 Branding, Attribution & Name Protection

• '''1.2.A Trademark:''' FactHarbor name, logo, and brand elements are protected via trademark (held by Founder initially, then transferred to Verein). ''Purpose: Prevent malicious forks impersonating FactHarbor.''
• '''1.2.B Attribution Guidelines (Non-Binding):''' FactHarbor requests (but does not require) that public-facing deployments display: “Powered by FactHarbor.” This is a guideline, fully compatible with AGPLv3.

2. Copyright, CLA & Intellectual Property

2.1 Copyright Ownership

• '''Startup Phase:''' Founder holds copyright to all FactHarbor code, AI templates, documentation, and assets. Third-party contributors retain copyright to their individual contributions.
• '''Non-Profit Phase:''' All relevant assets transfer to the Verein (see Section 3.2.3).

2.2 Contributor License Agreement (CLA)

All contributors must sign a CLA before contributions can be merged. The CLA states:
Contributors retain their original copyright, but they grant the FactHarbor Organization (Founder → later Swiss Verein):

• A '''perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable, royalty-free license''' to use, modify, sublicense, and redistribute their contributions under AGPLv3.
• The '''explicit right to enforce AGPLv3''', including filing legal action against infringers and defending license terms, acting on the contributor’s behalf where necessary.

2.3 Core Components and Enforcement

The organization may optionally request a Copyright Assignment Agreement (CAA) for critical subsystems (e.g., the AKEL engine), but this is not required at this stage.

3. Governance Model

FactHarbor uses '''Stewardship Governance''' — where strategic control remains with a trusted core group to prevent hijacking and ensure mission alignment.

3.1 Startup Phase Governance

• '''3.1.1 Founder Leadership:''' Founder acts as Sole Maintainer, approves all merges, manages releases, and has final authority over technical and strategic decisions. Founder has legal responsibility.
• '''3.1.2 Core Team (Future Addition):''' The Founder may appoint trusted individuals. Security-sensitive changes require multi-party approval.
• '''3.1.3 Founder Succession Plan:''' Before transitioning, the Founder will define a succession mechanism in the Governance Charter (e.g., Founder-appointed successor, Steering Council ratification).

3.2 Non-Profit Organisation (Swiss Verein) Governance

The transition occurs when FactHarbor reaches organisational maturity, forming a ''Swiss Verein'' with mission-driven statutes and no profit distribution allowed.

• '''3.2.1 Governance Bodies:''' Includes the '''Steering Council''' (central decision-making), '''Core Maintainers''' (code review/merges), and '''Security Council''' (security veto/audits).
• '''3.2.2 Founder’s Role After Transition:''' The Founder becomes a Permanent Steering Council member and strategic vision holder, but decisions follow the Governance Charter.
• '''3.2.3 Asset Transfer Protocol (Critical Legal Step):''' At the moment the Swiss Verein is formally created, a documented '''Asset Transfer Agreement''' is executed, conveying Copyright, Domains, Repositories, and Trademarks from the Founder to the Verein.