What Is Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP)?

The Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) uses smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain to manage tradable event tokens, event attendance, and reward distribution. The cost savings achieved by using the blockchain can improve event organizers’ overall margins and profitability. It was established in early 2017 to address the issues with existing Proof of Work (PoW) consensus protocols. The network is an open-source platform that allows developers to build and deploy decentralized applications on pre-established, secure, low-cost, Ethereum-compatible smart contracts.

Therefore, the POAP protocol aims to encourage smaller and even amateur events by allowing them to raise funds much easier than before. People can come together for a common cause and group their resources through smart contracts to put on an event. All this brings down costs for everyone involved and provides a better way for event organizers who may not have the experience to organize their own events.

Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) Definition

The Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) is a protocol that allows for the secure and verifiable transmission of data between two or more parties. It can be used for various purposes, including proving attendance at an event, verifying academic credentials, or even securing digital signatures.

The Proof of Attendance Protocol is a perfect blend of the digital and physical world. Attendance at events, conferences, seminars and other gatherings can now be recorded on a blockchain through a licensed application that is developed from this project. Those who wish to attend any gathering where the POA Network app has been installed will show their faces during the check-in process. Their attendance will then be timestamped on the blockchain through this application.

The data recorded on the POA Network is secured. Thus, no one can change or fake records on it because of its immutability. Every 10 minutes, the app produces a QR code that represents the current state of all events and activities. A public address with the corresponding QR code is published in a place where event attendees can access it with ease. Attendees can use this QR code to check in to an event on the go. This will allow them to prove their attendance without having any paper record.

Proof of Attendance Protocol uses a simple initial coin offering (ICO) model to fund further development and marketing activities. This model eliminates the need for a traditional sale event that will require high budgets, dedicated business developers, and other resources.

History of POAP

In 2012, Dan Novaes came up with a brilliant idea of a blockchain-based application that rewards users in accordance with the time spent in a given event. This concept evolved into a decentralized protocol called Proof of Attendance which is being implemented by the POA Network team.

POAPs were first introduced in 2019 at the ETH Denver Convention. Organizers of the event largely relied on donations from various influencers and developers. They held a convention hackathon, which saw hackers participate. Each attendee was given a POAP as a reward for their participation. This is how POAP emerged.

The decentralized nature of the protocol allows proof of attendance to be sent and verified by an event organizer who can then issue a digital certificate. The latter may include additional data such as speakers’ acknowledgment, discount coupons, and other relevant information. Such registration is valid only during or after the given event, and it provides reliable proof that someone was physically present here.

The use of blockchain allows for creating a decentralized public ledger to store immutable attendance data and cannot be changed. The protocol itself is entirely transparent, allowing any user to verify the event they have attended by browsing the ledger.

POA Network offers three different solutions in parallel. Firstly, there’s an open protocol that any business or organization can adopt to build a decentralized application. Secondly, attendance tracking services are only available for use by event organizers who can create custom badges that store digital proof of attendance data on private POA blockchains. Thirdly, the team has launched TokenClub – an automatic subscription-based service that sends event tickets/badges and other exclusive digital assets to subscribers.

How Does POAP Work?

Attendees can create or join events using IOS or Android applications from their phones. Events are free to create, but they will have the option to charge for tickets if they choose. When you arrive at the event, you open the application and scan a QR code or use your location data to check-in. This generates an attendance record along with a timestamp, securely stored on the Ethereum blockchain in a smart contract. A cryptographic identity can be used to track attendees across events so they don’t have to go through the same process each time.

Participants can be divided into three groups:

• Event creators. They can use POAP to monetize their events by charging a fee or offering prizes. They are responsible for setting check-in requirements, which the smart contract automatically enforces. Event creators must also pay for event tickets using either Ether, POA20 tokens, or any other ERC20 token through MetaMask. They can share their events on social media and on the Eventum website to grow their audience.
• Event promoters. Everyone wants more attention at their event, and POAP allows for proof that your target market is attending as well as proof that non-targeted individuals are attending. Event promoters can require a target audience to create a POAP record for their events by using the Custom Attestation feature. For example, a video game convention may choose to incentivize gamers by rewarding those who check-in with tokens or other prizes only redeemable at their event.
• Event consumers. Attendees can use POA20 tokens as currency at the event. POA20 tokens are ideal for this purpose as they are non-transferable during the event meaning that no one can take them from you once they have been paid for.

Ethereum platform’s token model is being used by the Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) to give incentives to event creators, promoters, and attendees through incentives to hold or spend tokens. Proof of Attendance Protocol is a dApp built on top of the Ethereum blockchain, and it utilizes POA Network as its backbone infrastructure.

POA Network consensus algorithm – Proof-of-Authority (PoA) – is used to ensure that transactions are validated by approved accounts, also known as validators. Validators lock a portion of their tokens as a stake, and it is by this stake that they validate transactions.

Use Cases of POAP

POAP tokens can be used as incentives at various venues and events. Students who attend seminars, workshops, classes, etc. In addition, they can be helpful for tracking attendance in the case of any disputes at a later stage. The utility of POAP tokens extends beyond participating in POA events. Another use case is as payment, receiving incentives, and earning rewards within the POA protocol ecosystem.

POAP has been designed to solve issues around attendance, reward distribution, and verifiable records. One such example is its use as an incentive for students who attend seminars, workshops, or classes. In the case of any future dispute over attendance, having a verifiable record stored on the blockchain will help prove which party is correct in their assertion.

In addition, POAP tokens can be distributed by companies that run seminars and workshops to learners who attend their classes. This is designed to motivate learners and encourage them to attend more frequently, thus resulting in improved retention rates for the company running the workshops or seminars.

By design, POAP tokens are ERC20-compliant, which means they can be easily integrated into any Ethereum-based dAPP.

Benefits Provided by POAP

Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) offers several benefits, some of which are as follows:

• It allows event organizers to track attendees easily, and this information can be used for marketing, promotion, and other purposes.
• This protocol makes it easy for individuals to prove their attendance at events and gatherings without having any form of record or documentation.
• The POA network has an immutable data storage system that any third party cannot manipulate. It is a great tool for identity management and tracking systems, which will benefit many institutions soon.

Conclusion

Proof of Attendance Protocol is a decentralized application designed to validate the proof-of-attendance for an event. Venues, universities, conferences, and businesses can use this tokenized protocol as a better alternative than paper or plastic badges. It is successfully fulfilling its goal of preventing fraud and double voting.