(HOPR) One of the biggest threats to our growing reliance on the Internet is the lack of privacy. All of our activity on the web can be tracked by ISPs, browsers, applications, and the website itself. Anyone with the right skills can access (and keep) the most private aspects of a user’s life by simply tracking the digital footprints left online. Despite this knowledge, in today’s world it is impossible to give up the internet.

But what if every interaction on the network was encrypted? And the only other party who can access the data or information is the people we’re sending it to?

It was the idea that inspired the birth of HOPR. But unlike VPN, no company guarantees our security and privacy. Instead, it is an independent, decentralized peer-to-peer network that is managed by users. Therefore, HOPR cannot be influenced by any person or company.

About HOPR

Dr. Sebastian Burgel, a technology entrepreneur who contributes a lot to the blockchain industry in Switzerland, founded HOPR. He is also the co-founder and CTO of Validity Labs and Sonect.

Advice from HOPR Association | Source: hoprnet.org

Together with a team of seasoned innovators who share the same fear of the lack of privacy and security in online activities, Burgel decided to use blockchain technology to build a decentralized and secure private network.

In early 2019, the project caught the attention of the Binance team and received a $ 1 million investment in mid-2020.

Some members build the HOPR network | Source: hoprnet.org

What is HOPR?

HOPR (pronounced “hopper”) is a project designed to secure user data and information and remove digital traces. It is based on blockchain technology and uses HOPR tokens to exchange values.

HOPR intends to deliver a truly private internet experience through a number of different means, all of which are blockchain based.

First, the HOPR protocol is an alternative infrastructure on the Internet that makes metadata undetectable.

Then there is the HOPR network, a decentralized blockchain independent of any influence. The platform is managed by the collective of users and they receive rewards for performing activities on HOPR.

HOPR works How?

HOPR Network is a decentralized mixnet with incentives that ensures complete data and metadata security for all users. Data is sent over several hops so that no one except the sender and recipient knows the origin, destination or content of the data transfer.

HOPR’s unique proof-of-relay mechanism means that every node on which the node is running receives an incentive to correctly forward data in exchange for HOPR tokens. Anyone can run a HOPR node to earn HOPR tokens and contribute to online data security.

HOPR’s custom Layer 2 scaling solution based on probabilistic paylines. This ensures fully decentralized payments without unnecessary blockchain transaction fees and at the same time protects the metadata of the node runners.

Features of HOPR

HOPR uses existing technologies to create a secure, decentralized network. The platform has several important features such as:

Mixnet

“Mixnet” is a compound word from “mix” and “network”, a term for routing protocols that make it difficult to track data exchanged on the Internet. This structure uses a proxy server to mix data and messages from different sources. The encrypted data is then delivered individually to its source.

HOPR network

The decisive factor is that the direct connection between the sender and recipient must be broken so that the data and messages can only be traced with difficulty.

Cover traffic

Cover traffic is random data sent over the Mixnet. This data has no value of its own, but has the function of adding additional traffic in the Mixnet. The more data there is in Mixnet, the more efficient it is and the more difficult it is to keep track of every data packet.

When the traffic in the Mixnet is low, other users are animated with HOPR tokens to send any data packets into the Mixnet.

Cover traffic effectively ensures anonymity, which makes it difficult and almost impossible to associate metadata with the sender.

Token HOPR

The HOPR token links all aspects of the HOPR protocol. It is a medium of exchange and is used to motivate users to engage in activities on the node. HOPR token has 3 main functions: payment, staking and voting.

Counting

The primary function of the HOPR token is to reward node operators for their role in privately routing metadata.

HOPR holders can also forward data as a member of the network. So when a user needs to send secure and private data over the network, the owner opens a node.

The node of this owner receives from the network (HOPR) tokens for each data packet it sends. And every relay in the node is entitled to a share of the payment.

Mark out

The second function of the token is to help the node operators make money. This is done using the HOPR locking mechanism.

Users can lock tokens for staking in their nodes. The more data they pass through the node, the more tokens they earn. The income comes from both the payment function and the provision of cover traffic.

Choose

HOPR is a decentralized network that aims to put control and management of the infrastructure in the hands of its users. To do this, anyone with the HOPR token can vote on issues related to the protocol, including the network, the definition of parameters, and many other suggestions.

Token holders can also register as members of the HOPR Association. HOPR Association is a non-profit legal entity in Switzerland. It gives HOPR legal status when interacting with the real world to protect the owner’s identity.

This association is essentially a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization).

Advantages of HOPR

The current structure of the Internet operates in such a way that users must have private information before they can interact with others. This information can be viewed by other parties both legally and illegally.

Internet service providers (ISPs), browsers, websites, etc. can access the user’s IP address (by extension, location and name). They even keep track of relationships, browsing history, the amount of data sent, and the time sent.

Malicious parties can also infiltrate these packets of data, extract any personal, private information of the user and use it at their own discretion.

HOPR aims to build an infrastructure that hides metadata so that data packets do not reveal any information about Internet users. It also breaks any links between the data you are sending to yourself.

Compare HOPR and VPN

Many internet-savvy users assume that a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can also take on these functions. However, VPNs are still hosted by private organizations. Even if VPN providers have no bad intentions, they can still be compromised in a number of ways because they are private companies and can be tracked. If a government agency requests user information, it must comply or face dire consequences.

The HOPR network, on the other hand, uses blockchain technology to provide a decentralized and self-sufficient system. HOPR is managed by the users themselves, who are anonymous and untraceable.

Receiving HOPR tokens naturally gives every user in a node an incentive to forward data and cover traffic.

HOPR token supply

At launch there will be a total of 1 billion HOPR tokens. This number is numerous, but only a small percentage is available.

A large number of tokens are blocked when staking. In addition, many token allocation portfolios are gradually released over 4 years through various channels such as treasury, pre-sale, bounty, cover traffic, public distribution, etc.

Token supply and distribution table

At the time of launch, there were only about 130 million HOPR in circulation, most of which are still under staking.

Conclude

The internet has permeated almost every aspect of human life. It is impossible to imagine what would happen if all private information and data were exploited by those with bad intentions. However, this is the reality we face.

We deserve to protect our data and restore privacy. With HOPR’s infrastructure, we can also become part of the network to ensure our own privacy.

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