Abstract
This AIP proposes an immediate investigation into the actions of @DisruptionJoe - AKA disruptionjoe.eth, a Delegate involved in managing grants distributions for Arbitrum and operating through Plurality Labs as well as his documented colleague @ZER8. The investigation aims to address highly concerning and well document and identified violations in behavior in order to assess the suitability of the current team managing grant distributions on Arbitrum as this is of critical timeliness and also extremely important for the long-term future of the Arbitrum ecosystem.
Motivation
It is imperative to maintain a non-toxic governance culture on Arbitrum, reflecting the values of inclusion, diversity, and innovation set forth by ArbitrumDAO and Arbitrum Foundation. Recent incidents involving DisruptionJoe.eth and program manager Zer8 during the Gitcoin Funding Round Fest have highlighted a deviation from these values. disruptionjoe.eth actions, such as public inquiries and attempts to undermine the NFTEarth Team, are a violation of community guidelines. This AIP is to seek immediate investigation into the team managing the grants distributions for Arbitrum.
Rationale
To uphold Arbitrum’s core values and ensure a positive growth environment, it is essential to address the incidents of bullying, denial of rightful grantee funds, and disregard for repeated complaints. An objective review of the delegate and grant distribution team is necessary to evaluate their suitability for the roles they currently hold. ArbitrumDAO and Arbitrum Foundation has made it absolutely clear that its values are inclusion, diversity, and innovation. The Arbitrum Community Guidelines, viewed here: make this very clear and if this is true, this needs to be addressed, as bullying, denying grantee funds they have been rightfully awarded, and overall disregard for repeated complaints by the NFTEarth Team for unfair treatment, by the exact same actors is never going to create a positive environment conducive to growth. This issue has been recently escalated based on communication occurring in the Arbitrum Gitcoin Funding Grant Fest Telegram, to which an NFTEarth team member Weston, asked a straightforward and clarifying question about the new grants round which was being discussed by /DisruptionJoe/Zer8/GroupAdmins, and Joe redirected this question - entirely and completely out of context, in order to incite toxicity:
Other Grantees were also clearly confused by his question to a question answer and bring up a STIP discussion that had - after viewing for 5 minutes, can be clearly well understood, and had been thoroughly addressed in the forums as well, but Weston did follow up with a full answer, which can be viewed here in the screencap here:
The purpose of sharing these two screencaps is of critical importance because it shows the intent of DisruptionJoe - and this is what we are intending to shed light on, that we believe based on our firsthand experience, he should not be running any sizable $ARB grant program and doesn’t act in good faith for Grantees that will be looking to participate, thereby creating a potentially very damaging scenario for the Arbitrum ecosystem.
In creating the sequence of events that has now turned hostile in this Telegram group…which you can now come join to see for yourself, called the Arbitrum Gitcoin Grants Funding Fest, the environment of the group has turned into complete negativity, fighting, and hostility: Telegram: Contact @ArbitrumonGitcoinGrantsFEST
The Delegate and team in question are entrusted with the distribution of millions in $ARB and must exhibit a high level of responsibility and integrity. However, recent events have shown that the conduct of this team, encouraged by DisruptionJoe and Zer8, is not in line with these fundamental requirements. Their actions aimed at spreading libel and obstructing the growth of the NFTEarth Team on Arbitrum underscore their unsuitability for such a critical responsibility. This same group has been approved for a substantial grant allocation of 3,360,000 $ARB to distribute via grants. It is evident that having bad actors in charge of such a significant grant management project is detrimental to the entire ecosystem, undermining the core principles of transparency, fairness, and trust.
For further reference, DisruptionJoe’s involvement in the grant proposal can be viewed here: AIP-3 Non-Constitutional Fund the Arbitrum Grants Framework Proposal.
Specifications
Based on documented incidents, it is evident that DisruptionJoe.eth actions were aimed at creating hostility and toxicity within the community and were not aligned with the expected conduct of a delegate. Consequently, a fair review of the grant system is proposed, with the possibility of forming a committee to replace DisruptionJoe.eth to guarantee an unbiased evaluation of protocols seeking adoption on Arbitrum. He has allowed brand new members to join in on the conversation to continue the bullying, such as @Dicaso after clear and factual evidence of Dicaso repeated attempts to harm the NFTEarth team and by larger effect, the Arbitrum ecosystem. Please see the screencap of the Post on X that Discaso sent out publicly the day after the NFTEarth team announced their excitement for being included in the Arbitrum Odyssey which is still live and seen in this screencap on the Odyssey page:
This image contains a warning: to users on Arbitrum. States as fact that using the NFTEarth protocol is a fraud, and that users would lose all their money by interacting with the contracts.
Any quick simple review of the OpenEdition NFT deployed by NFTEarth will determine this is 100% untrue in every capacity, demonstrating Dicaso’s blatant libel, and @DisruptionJoe encouraging this type of behavior. This should never be tolerated.
Proposed Actions and Remedies
- Conduct a thorough investigation into the actions of disruptionjoe.eth and the grant distribution team, examining the incidents and assessing their compliance with community guidelines and delegate responsibilities.
- If deemed necessary based on the investigation, form an impartial committee to oversee grant distribution and evaluate new protocols aspiring for adoption on Arbitrum, ensuring a fair and transparent process.
Steps to Implement
The investigation will commence immediately, with a retroactive review of the Gitcoin Funding Round Fest (September 19th, 2023 - September 30th, 2023). The findings and subsequent actions will be communicated transparently to the community, fostering trust and accountability within the ecosystem. The Arbitrum on Gitcoin Funding Fest (which concluded on September 30th, 2023) can be reviewed here:
Timeline
- Start Date: Immediate (retroactive to the Gitcoin Funding Round Fest, September 19th, 2023 - September 30th, 2023)
- Conclusion: To be determined based on the investigation, aiming for a swift resolution.
Overall Cost
- Anticipated Legal Costs: Potentially significant for resolving damages incurred by NFTEarth.
- Investigation and Committee Formation: No direct cost anticipated, relying on the dedication and cooperation of the community and relevant stakeholders.
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