A Private, Decentralized Social Network on Aleo Blockchain
ShadowSphere is a privacy-first social platform built with the Leo programming language on the Aleo blockchain. It enables anonymous social interactions, private messaging, and value transfers—all while preserving user privacy through zero-knowledge cryptography.
Deployed Program: shadowsphere_social9.aleo
Transaction ID: at18a082xh7mejrg3w4q9uvcpep43hsf5kw36mhey5uhcy38hfa7yzsvwzg30
ShadowSphere revolutionizes social networking by bringing true privacy to Web3 social interactions. Unlike traditional social platforms where all data is visible, ShadowSphere leverages Aleo's zero-knowledge technology to create a social network where:
- Your identity stays private - No usernames or emails, just cryptographic identities
- Your content is yours - Posts can be encrypted and only shared with intended audiences
- Your interactions are confidential - Private messaging with end-to-end encryption
- Your value transfers are secure - Send gifts and tips with complete privacy
- Your reputation is earned - Build verified reputation through positive contributions
In today's digital landscape, social platforms have become the ultimate privacy paradox:
- Data Exploitation - Platforms mine your data for profit
- Censorship - Centralized control over content and accounts
- Surveillance - Every like, comment, and message is tracked
- Identity Theft - Personal information is constantly at risk
- Shadow Bans - Opaque moderation and account restrictions
ShadowSphere solves these by providing:
- True anonymity - No personal data collection
- User sovereignty - You control your content and identity
- Cryptographic privacy - Zero-knowledge proofs keep interactions private
- Fair moderation - Transparent, on-chain governance
- Portable reputation - Your reputation travels with you
- Privacy-conscious individuals
- Whistleblowers and activists
- Content creators seeking freedom
- Communities requiring anonymity
- Anyone tired of data exploitation
- ZK-based Authentication - Prove identity without revealing it
- Unique Cryptographic Identities - No emails, no phone numbers
- Self-Sovereign - Complete control over your digital presence
- Recovery Options - Secure account recovery mechanisms
- Encrypted Posts - Content visible only to intended audiences
- Anonymous Interactions - Like, comment, and share privately
- Content Categories - Organize posts without compromising privacy
- Reputation System - Earn verified status through positive engagement
- Friendship Network - Build private social graphs
- End-to-End Encrypted - Messages visible only to sender and receiver
- Message Records - Private message receipts stored on-chain
- Read Receipts - Know when messages are viewed
- Message History - Persistent, private conversation threads
- Send Anonymous Gifts - Transfer value without revealing identity
- Platform Fee - 2% fee supports ecosystem development
- Gift Receipts - Provable gift records
- Claim Mechanism - Secure gift claiming process
- Real Value Transfer - Integrated with USDCx stablecoin
- Private Friendships - Build connections privately
- Block System - Control your social environment
- Activity Tracking - Monitor engagement without compromising privacy
- Relationship Status - Manage social connections on-chain
- Reputation-Based Verification - Earn trust through activity
- 100 Reputation Threshold - Minimum for verified status
- Tamper-Proof Reputation - On-chain, immutable reputation history
- Anti-Sybil Measures - Cryptographic prevention of fake accounts
- Fee Management - Adjust platform fees
- Ecosystem Fund - Collected fees support development
- Emergency Controls - Admin functions for platform safety
// User Profile - Anonymous identity
UserProfile {
public_key: address,
reputation: u32,
created_at: u32,
is_verified: bool,
is_registered: bool,
balance: u128
}
// Post - Private content
Post {
post_id: u32,
author: address,
content_hash: field,
timestamp: u32,
likes: u32,
comments: u32,
encrypted: bool,
category: u8
}
// Private Message Record
record PrivateMessage {
owner: address,
message_id: field,
from: address,
to: address,
content_hash: field,
timestamp: u32,
read: bool
}
// Gift Receipt
record GiftReceipt {
owner: address,
gift_id: field,
sender: address,
receiver: address,
amount: u128,
message_hash: field,
timestamp: u32,
claimed: bool
}users: address => UserProfile // User registry
posts: u32 => Post // Content storage
comments: u32 => Comment // Comment storage
friendships: field => Friendship // Social graph
user_activity: address => u32 // Activity tracking
total_users: u32 => u32 // Platform statistics| Function | Description | Access |
|---|---|---|
register() |
Create anonymous account | Public |
verify_login() |
ZK-based authentication | Registered Users |
verify_user() |
Earn verified status | Registered Users |
| Function | Description | Access |
|---|---|---|
create_post() |
Create encrypted/public post | Registered Users |
like_post() |
Like content anonymously | Registered Users |
add_comment() |
Comment on posts | Registered Users |
add_friend() |
Build private connections | Registered Users |
block_user() |
Block unwanted interactions | Registered Users |
remove_friend() |
Remove connections | Registered Users |
| Function | Description | Access |
|---|---|---|
send_message() |
Send private encrypted message | Registered Users |
receive_message() |
Receive private messages | Registered Users |
| Function | Description | Access |
|---|---|---|
deposit() |
Add USDCx funds | Registered Users |
withdraw() |
Withdraw USDCx | Registered Users |
send_gift() |
Send anonymous gifts | Registered Users |
claim_gift() |
Claim received gifts | Registered Users |
| Function | Description | Access |
|---|---|---|
admin_withdraw_fees() |
Withdraw platform fees | Admin Only |
is_admin() |
Check admin status | Public |
ShadowSphere ensures privacy through multiple layers:
-
Identity Privacy
- No usernames or emails stored
- All identities are cryptographic addresses
- Zero-knowledge proofs for authentication
-
Content Privacy
- Content stored as hashes only
- Optional encryption for sensitive posts
- Private by default, public by choice
-
Interaction Privacy
- Private message records
- Anonymous likes and comments
- Hidden social graph relationships
-
Value Privacy
- Gift amounts visible only to participants
- Private gift messages
- Anonymous value transfer
- Leo CLI installed
- Aleo account with testnet credits
- Basic understanding of Aleo blockchain
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/shadowsphere.git
cd shadowsphere
# Deploy to testnet
leo deploy --network testnet# Register a new user
leo execute register --broadcast
# Verify login
leo execute verify_login [identity_hash]field
# Create a post
leo execute create_post [content_hash]field [encrypted] [category]u8
# Send a gift
leo execute send_gift [receiver_address] [amount]u128 [message_hash]field [timer]u32
# Add a friend
leo execute add_friend [friend_address]| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Categories | 10 |
| Min Deposit | 1,000,000 USDCx |
| Platform Fee | 2% |
| Verification Threshold | 100 Reputation |
| Reputation per Post | +3 |
| Reputation per Comment | +2 |
| Reputation per Like | +1 |
| Reputation per Gift | +5 |
- Core smart contract implementation
- USDCx integration
- Basic social features
- Private messaging
- End-to-end encryption for all messages
- Zero-knowledge proof verification
- Anonymous group chats
- Private content feeds
- DAO governance
- Community moderation
- Token-gated content
- NFT integration for profiles
We welcome contributions! Whether it's:
- Bug fixes
- Feature enhancements
- Documentation improvements
- Security audits
Please see our Contributing Guidelines for more details.
ShadowSphere prioritizes security:
@noupgradeensures contract immutability- Comprehensive assertions prevent invalid states
- Future-based async operations prevent race conditions
- Cryptographic hashing for all sensitive data
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
- Aleo Team - For the amazing zero-knowledge blockchain
- USDCx - For stablecoin integration
- Leo Language - For making ZK development accessible
- Community - For feedback and support
- GitHub: Issues
- Youtube:
Built with 💜 on Aleo | Privacy is not a feature, it's a right