Dear Black Flag Nation 🏴,
After a thoughtful process by the Transition Council, we are excited to introduce a new logo that reflects our name and purpose. The logo depicts a simple, friendly vibe, with the word “DAO” included, emphasizing that we are not a corporate entity masquerading as a cooperative. You can learn more about the logo on the resource page, where you will also find different downloadable versions.
Additionally, we have successfully registered a domain for our new name, thanks to the efforts of our InfoSec team and HiroKennelly. However, while we update the site, we will temporarily redirect the current domain to our Notion page.
We also want to clarify that we no longer use the old BanklessDAO Discord URL. Some individuals have been attempting to use it as a phishing server, which could lead to confusion. This week’s article addresses areas where confusion might arise, including branding, membership, and projects, and works to clear up any uncertainty that might come up.
Finally, the proposal to fund the newsletter through the end of the year is now live on Snapshot. The proposal seeks retroactive funding for work done in the L2 Review and funding for the Weekly Rollup until the end of the year. There’s work to be done, and we encourage value-aligned community members to contribute as we fly the black flag.
Contributors: Lucent, Tonytad, Angelspeaks, Boluwatife, Kornekt, WinVerse
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Snapshot Votes
A Distinctive Black Flag Brand
Author: Lucent
Black Flag DAO now has a new logo, and the logo (with our new name) is already being updated across various social media pages. The logo is no longer the bold white-lettered “DAO” text with a thick red line underneath it on a black background. Instead, our new logo illustrates a person waving the black flag with an almost visible happy aura. Here is how it looks.
Including the word “DAO” above aims to remove any doubts that we are not a community-based organization but just a regular company. We are truly open to exploring decentralized systems on-chain. It is also important to note that the logo has different versions that show various colors and gradients with the constant factor of the illustrated person happily waving the black flag. Check out those other versions and banners on the logo resources page.
Squatting and Verification
After we cleaned up our Discord server, changed our name, and reorganized our community, some phishers and scammers picked up the old Bankless DAO Discord URL to act like a legitimate community. This tactic, known as domain squatting, involves malicious actors taking over previously used URLs to deceive users into thinking they're interacting with the original organization. Therefore, we want everyone to know we no longer use the old Bankless DAO Discord URL. Please use https://discord.gg/blackflagdao to access our server instead.
The Transition Council is still processing the adoption of a membership structure, but pending the adoption, we suggest using Collabland to verify membership. This simplifies the process because, from feedback, folks seem to have issues using the guild page. We trust the TC to adopt a single verification process to avoid confusion as we move forward.
Information Security
Information security is a top priority, and our InfoSec team demonstrated this by successfully securing our domain, thanks to community OG HiroKennelly for playing a major role. Now, we have full control and configuration of it. However, updating the webpage will take some time. Coupled with the limited value of the current Notion page and outdated information on the old website, the Transition Council has opted to redirect our domain from
https://www.bankless.community/
to
https://blackflagdao.notion.site/
pending the time the website becomes updated and active.
Black Flag or Bankless Project?
A key concern raised in the community call is how to differentiate our projects from scammers and copycats, as opportunists will try to exploit our former name for scams or phishing accounts on social media. Projects like BCard and Bankless Academy still use the Bankless name, which might make it challenging to clarify that they are official Black Flag DAO projects and avoid confusion. One suggestion was to host a space on X, during this transition. This means DAO projects will be present to discuss strategies to prevent copycats from exploiting the BanklessDAO name. Should they also adopt the Black Flag brand to remove confusion and leave no room for vulnerability? A space on the main X account might be the best approach to answer these questions and develop a strategy to avoid future complications.
Beyond branding, membership, and adopting initiatives, it is important that we communicate brand changes across necessary platforms to minimize confusion and doubts that will lead to difficult circumstances in the future. To keep things collaborative, a forum post could be a great way to hear from the community about how they think we can strengthen our new identity, minimize confusion, and create a brand distinct from others in the ecosystem.
⛴️ BanklessDAO Content
🧠 Crypto Sapiens
Thanks, Bold!