Seachan
A decentralized imageboard platform with anonymous posting and community governance.
Seachan
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A decentralized imageboard platform with anonymous posting and community governance.
Overview
Seachan is a blockchain-based imageboard that enables anonymous posting, decentralized content storage, and community-driven moderation while maintaining user privacy and censorship resistance.
Key Features
- Anonymous posting system
- Decentralized content storage
- Community moderation and governance
- Mobile-responsive interface
- Cross-chain compatibility
- Ephemeral threads with configurable lifespans
Technology Stack
- Backend: Motoko on Internet Computer
- Storage: IPFS for images and content
- Frontend: SvelteKit web interface
- Database: CanDB for scalable data management
Development Status
Status: Active development
title: Seachan - Censorship Resistant Decentralized Fileboards description: A fully decentralized fileboard platform built on the Internet Computer Protocol, designed to restore free, censorship-resistant discourse to the internet date: '2023-07-01' updated: '2025-01-17' coverImage: '/images/posts/seachan/seachan.png' tags:
- social published: true
Seachan: Decentralizing Online Discourse
Overview
Seachan is a fully decentralized fileboard platform designed to restore free, censorship-resistant discourse to the internet. Through DAO governance, it eliminates centralized points of failure across storage, moderation, and identity. This ensures an architecture immune to coercion, offering a new foundation for online association — one that belongs to no one, and to everyone.
Built on the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP), Seachan represents a radical departure from traditional centralized forums. Unlike platforms that can be pressured, co-opted, or shut down by external forces, Seachan operates entirely on-chain with community governance, making it resistant to censorship and centralized control.
The Problem with Centralized Forums
Back in the day, platforms like 4chan provided spaces for open discourse. However, like all centralized systems, they eventually became vulnerable to external pressure and internal corruption. Server owners can be pressured, platform admins can be compromised, and data can be subpoenaed, censored, or deleted.
All of Web2 suffers from this fundamental weakness: centralized points of failure. No matter how noble the founders' intentions, external pressure inevitably leads to censorship, manipulation, and decay. Any popular centralized service becomes a tool for those who seek to control information.
The Seachan Solution
Complete Decentralization
Seachan removes the centralized point of failure by storing all forum data—boards, posts, files, and logs—directly on-chain through the Internet Computer Protocol. Content cannot be removed through takedown requests; the platform itself can only be disabled through a governance vote or depletion of compute cycles.
Anonymous Identity & Credential Autonomy
Users participate without linking their identity to email addresses, phone numbers, or any Web2 credentials. Authentication is handled through Internet Identity, which uses device-based cryptographic keys verified on-chain, eliminating reliance on centralized credential providers while ensuring users retain full control over their access.
DAO-Governed Moderation
Decisions carried out by designated moderators are visible to the wider community and can be overturned by DAO vote. This structure ensures moderation aligns with the values of the Seachan community, while maintaining transparency and accountability.
Technical Architecture
Multi-Canister Scalability
Seachan utilizes a scalable, multi-canister architecture where all site data is stored persistently and directly on-chain. The backend is powered by Motoko canister smart contracts, using ORIGYN Foundation's CanDB as a flexible, horizontally scalable database system.
As data grows, Seachan automatically deploys new service canisters without downtime, ensuring scalability beyond the storage limitations of a single canister. An Index Canister coordinates interactions across service canisters, mapping data partitions across application layers, board structures, and user profiles.
100% On-Chain Storage
This architecture enables Seachan to operate entirely on decentralized infrastructure, without reliance on IPFS or centralized file storage. Previously, Seachan relied on IPFS for file hosting, but with the revamp, all files can now be hosted on-chain.
Technology Stack
- Backend: Motoko smart contracts on Internet Computer Protocol
- Database: CanDB for horizontal scalability
- Frontend: SvelteKit with TypeScript
- UI Components: ShadCN Svelte
- Styling: Tailwind CSS
- Authentication: Internet Identity
- File Storage: On-chain storage through ICP canisters
Key Features
Board Structure & Thread Mechanics
Seachan follows a classical fileboard structure, organizing discussion into boards, threads, and posts. Boards serve as topical categories, each containing user-generated threads and their associated replies. Posts can include text and file attachments.
DAO-specific boards can be created via governance proposals to the Seachan DAO, with additional integration linking threads directly to DAO proposals.
Community Moderation Framework
The moderation system combines AI automation, human oversight, and community governance:
- AI Moderation Layer: Filters spam, pornography, and gore with tuning parameters adjustable through DAO governance
- Human Moderators: Selected and appointed by the DAO, operating on rotating shifts with staked tokens
- Public Transparency: All moderator actions are publicly logged for DAO review
- Quarantine System: Sensitive content is reviewed by verified Quarantine Moderators
Competitive Threads
SNS DAOs with dedicated boards can organize Competitive Threads tied to their initiatives. DAOs commit reward pools from their treasury and define parameters including reward size, submission window, voting period, and topic focus. This creates a framework for collective authorship and liquid democracy for ideas.
Roadmap & Future Development
Genesis Phase
- Creation of the Seachan SNS through decentralization swap
- Full platform operation under DAO ownership
- Integration with broader ICP ecosystem
Self-Serve Advertising
- Decentralized advertising platform with open bidding
- Revenue directed to DAO treasury
- Board-specific targeting capabilities
Board Rewards System
- Passive rewards framework for high-quality participation
- Voting power-based distribution weighted by governance stake
- Anti-farming measures to prevent reward manipulation
Treasury Management
- Community governance over growing treasury funds
- Open proposal and voting processes for treasury decisions
Links & Resources
- Current Platform: seachan.org | edjug-6yaaa-aaaal-arr5q-cai.icp0.io
- Legacy Versions:
- Source Code: GitHub Repository
- Documentation: Built-in about pages and whitepaper
The Vision
Seachan represents more than just another forum platform—it's a foundation for the future of decentralized discourse. By removing centralized control and implementing transparent governance, Seachan creates a space where free speech can truly flourish without fear of censorship or manipulation.
As the platform evolves under community governance, it will serve as a model for other decentralized applications and a testament to the power of blockchain technology to preserve fundamental freedoms in the digital age.
Will whales arise and start to centralize voting power as they buy up tokens? Probably. We'll thank 'em for pumping our bags and fork that bitch. Feds BTFO!