The launch of the Soneium Mainnet is a moment we’ve been building toward with passion and determination—a huge milestone in our goal to create an open internet that inspires emotion and empowers creativity globally. While we’re thrilled to see the community’s excitement, we also recognize that some questions have arisen about recent decisions related to the protection of access for certain smart contract addresses that violate intellectual property rights.
At Soneium, collaboration and clarity are essential to maintaining an inclusive and fair ecosystem. While our policies are detailed in our documentation, we’ve observed confusion and discussions within the community about recent decisions. To address these concerns and provide better visibility, we’ve created this Q&A blog post to ensure all stakeholders have access to the relevant information in an easy-to-understand format.
Below, we’ve compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions to provide clarity and reinforce our commitment to encouraging an inclusive and fair ecosystem.
1. How does Soneium handle IP protection while supporting creative web3 projects?
We are here for creators and unleashing their creativity. We respect and value all creators’ rights. Our measures focus on protecting intellectual property rights while ensuring that the innovative and creative spirit of web3 thrives within the Soneium ecosystem. All blacklisting actions at RPC level are temporary and fully reversible. Once compliance is ensured, the restrictions are lifted, and normal functionality is restored.
Soneium supports a wide range of creative projects, including memecoins, as part of its vision to empower creators, fans, and developers. However, specific contracts were flagged at launch due to unauthorized use of Intellectual Property (IP). Protecting creators’ rights is central to Soneium’s vision, and this action was taken to safeguard the rightful IP owner.
Several tokens were identified as clear infringements of creator rights by utilizing registered trademarks as their tickers in contracts deployed. These cases involved the unauthorized use of protected branding and imagery, creating a clear violation of intellectual property rights under copyright and trademark laws. We already unblocked one of the restricted tokens following constructive discussions with the team behind it and after they made the necessary improvements to comply with our policies. This reflects our commitment to working collaboratively with developers to resolve such issues while maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.
To address these issues, the affected tokens were restricted at the RPC level, temporarily rendering them inaccessible through Soneium’s network. Users attempting to interact with these tokens encountered a "forbidden" alert on Soneium’s official block explorer. This approach is essential for Soneium to drive mainstream creator and user adoption beyond web3. By providing a space where creators' rights are preserved and respected, we can attract more creators from traditional spaces to explore and leverage innovative web3 technology. These measures lay the foundation for a thriving ecosystem where creativity and innovation flourish.
2. How will the process of potential contract blocking work in the future?
To ensure fairness and clarity, Soneium is implementing a grace period (around 12 hours). The purpose of this grace period is to ensure sufficient time to notify the community about IP infringement and, where possible, work with the project team to resolve the issue. During this period, projects will first be added to the suspicious tokens list.
This allows the community to identify potential restricted tokens in advance, offering an opportunity for developers to engage with our team to address concerns before any final action is taken.
- Notifications will be sent to affected projects in advance, if we have their contact information.
- Detailed reasoning will accompany the notification to explain the proposed actions.
- Developers will have the opportunity to engage directly with our team and address concerns during the grace period. If the concerns are not resolved within this timeframe, the project will be moved to the blacklist.
By taking these proactive steps, we aim to foster open communication with developers and strengthen trust within the community while upholding our commitment to creators’ rights and the integrity of the platform.
At Soneium, we value open communication and collaboration. Developers can appeal blacklisting decisions by engaging directly with the committee, which currently consists of Soneium core members. We are already working closely with the developers of the affected projects, who are actively updating their materials to align with our policies.
Once compliance is ensured, the contracts will be promptly removed from the blacklist. Our goal is to resolve these situations fairly and efficiently, ensuring developers feel supported while maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.
Importantly, these actions do not censor the blockchain itself. The blacklisting only applies to specific smart contracts on Soneium's public RPCs and does not prevent users from accessing the chain through other means.
3. Were user assets frozen, or were certain wallet operations affected?
No user assets were frozen. The blacklisting was limited to specific smart contracts on RPCs. While this action targeted the affected contracts, we understand that it indirectly impacted certain users' ability to trade these tokens, as their operations depended on Soneium’s official infrastructure.
Our decision was made to address unauthorized use of intellectual properties secured by creators while minimizing disruption to the ecosystem. Moving forward, we aim to improve communication and transparency around such actions, ensuring that all stakeholders are better informed about any potential impacts.
4. What criteria does Soneium use to determine blacklisting decisions?
To ensure fairness and consistency, the following criteria are applied when assessing potential blacklistings:
- Prohibited Use of Names: Asset names, tickers, or images cannot reference other companies, projects, characters, or protected entities (e.g., Sony).
- Prohibited Use of Copyrighted Content: Specific images, characters, artists, games, products, or other materials protected by copyright cannot be used without authorization
5. How will the blacklist implementation contribute to Soneium's growth?
Soneium aims to onboard creators and more people who have never used crypto before. We anticipated and welcomed a wide range of creative projects from the community, including memecoins. However, we also recognize the importance of respecting intellectual property (IP) rights to uphold our mission of protecting creators.
In rare cases, such as the unauthorized use of IPs, swift action was necessary to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards. Soneium remains fully committed to fostering innovation while safeguarding the rights of creators and IP owners, creating an ecosystem where creativity thrives responsibly.
6. Why doesn’t Soneium allow IP usage when it’s often permitted in web3?
The sovereignty of IP lies with the creators. Our actions are aimed at protecting creators who do not permit the use of their IP and building a healthy, sustainable ecosystem. While IP infringement is sometimes seen as commonplace in Web3, Soneium does not aspire to create such an environment. Instead, we aim to foster a space where creators' rights are respected and upheld.
There are cases in the Web3 world where IP usage is allowed, such as with PFP projects, but these are based on creators retaining sovereignty and explicitly granting usage rights to NFT holders or others. Soneium fully supports and encourages creator-driven activities that respect these conditions.
What’s most important is not whether IP can or cannot be used, but ensuring that the creators' rights are protected. By safeguarding these rights, we can create a thriving and innovative ecosystem where creators feel empowered and valued.
Looking Ahead: Building a Collaborative Ecosystem
The launch of the Soneium Mainnet is just the beginning of our journey. While recent developments have sparked meaningful dialogue, they also highlight Soneium’s commitment to creators’ rights and the integrity of the platform. Our swift and transparent response reflects our dedication to addressing challenges constructively and fostering trust within the community.
By implementing proactive measures, such as a grace period for blacklisting decisions and maintaining open lines of communication with developers, we are reinforcing our mission to empower creators and build a thriving, inclusive ecosystem. These actions are essential for building trust and creating an environment that encourages more creators from traditional industries to embrace blockchain technology, driving greater adoption and innovation within the web3 space.
Soneium is more than a blockchain—it’s a movement to create an open internet where creators lead the way, and innovation knows no boundaries. As we move forward, transparency, fairness, and collaboration will remain central to our approach, ensuring the Soneium ecosystem grows alongside its community.
If you have further questions, feedback, or ideas, we encourage you to reach out. Together, we can shape a future where creativity thrives and everyone has the tools to innovate.