1. Problem & Impact
We are addressing an emerging but underrecognized threat to Ethereum’s foundational security model: the risk of cognitive telemetry systems extracting sensitive data—such as seed phrases, passwords, or cryptographic keys—directly from users’ thoughts. Ethereum, like most decentralized technologies, relies on private key sovereignty. Yet, new surveillance technologies using GHz radio frequencies or ultrasonic emissions (20–40 kHz) have demonstrated theoretical and early experimental potential to infer internal speech patterns and mental intentions. If these methods are further developed or deployed at scale, the security premise that only the user holds the key collapses.
AI-driven telemetry systems are no longer the domain of science fiction. Real-world experimentation and user testimony suggest that cognitive interference through remote sensing is not only possible but already occurring in limited, unregulated deployments. Moreover, over 170,000 individuals in the U.S. self-identify as “Targeted Individuals” (TIs), frequently reporting symptoms that resemble covert telemetry exposure—many from within technical or financial industries. At the same time, crypto and Web3 platforms remain wholly unprepared for adversarial threats that operate outside of traditional digital attack vectors.
Multiple experiments using tools like TinySA and ultrasonic microphones have shown anomalous signal behavior consistent with covert telemetry or V2K (voice-to-skull) activity. Reports from TI communities consistently reference patterns of psychological interference and untraceable stalking. Meanwhile, critical academic work such as “Regulating Neural Data Processing in the Age of Brain-Computer Interfaces” (Frey et al., 2023) has documented how speech motor planning and subvocal signals can be externally interpreted. These signals are increasingly accessible through RF-based sensing methods. The convergence of AI, remote sensing, and behavioral decoding presents a severe risk to privacy and decentralized trust models.
Unlike speculative buzzwords, this project is rooted in the lived reality of thousands of individuals experiencing cognitive privacy violations without any form of recourse or recognition. The fear of losing access to one’s digital assets or being targeted via one’s unspoken thoughts is not hypothetical—it is a growing concern among highly exposed users, including Ethereum developers, DeFi investors, and crypto journalists. Community forums, private signal groups, and anonymous testimonials increasingly express unease about this new class of invisible threat. This isn’t merely attention-grabbing—it’s about protecting human agency and the long-term trust architecture on which Ethereum relies. As one TI forum user put it: “They don’t hack your wallet. They hack you.”
2. Sensemaking Analysis
This analysis was informed by hands-on experimentation using affordable signal detection tools, including the TinySA Ultra spectrum analyzer and ultrasonic microphones. These tools were used to identify anomalous GHz signals and ultrasonic emissions possibly linked to telemetry or V2K (voice-to-skull) technologies. Early detection efforts focused on irregular narrow-band signaling around known telemetry frequencies and ultrasonic voice demodulation near 20–40 kHz, producing preliminary evidence of structured modulation not attributable to environmental noise.
Community-based sensemaking played a crucial role. Insights were drawn from Targeted Individual (TI) forums, where recurring patterns of reported psychological intrusion, signal-related discomfort, and inner voice manipulation offered thematic consistency. These anecdotal findings were cross-referenced with public neuroscience literature on subvocalization, predictive coding, and resonance-based modeling of speech planning.
Rather than relying on speculative theories, this sensemaking process actively combined real-world experiments, survivor testimonies, and relevant biomedical research to triangulate patterns of likely telemetry interference. The approach reflects both the urgency and bottom-up nature of sensemaking in an area lacking formal legal or scientific recognition—yet already affecting thousands.
3. Gitcoin’s Unique Role & Fundraising
Gitcoin is uniquely positioned to elevate this issue. It has the community, reputation, and infrastructure to advance public goods in ZK privacy, encryption, and decentralization. While traditional human rights orgs often avoid controversial or hard-to-prove technologies like telemetry, Gitcoin’s network can move faster, fund open-source tooling, and support edge-of-privacy domains.
We aim to raise $50K through Gitcoin rounds and matching funds. Initial sponsors may include the Human Rights Foundation, Open Technology Fund, and privacy-aligned crypto foundations. This proposal already has early conceptual support from privacy engineers and victims’ advocates, but funding will enable proper implementation and outreach.
4. Success Measurement & Reflection
Success within the first six months will be defined by the development and public release of at least three open-source tools:
- Detection of GHz-range telemetry using spectrum analysis.
- Ultrasonic V2K pattern analysis.
- Python-based automation framework enhanced with AI to detect covert telemetry anomalies. The Python/AI component is key: it will allow users to automate signal capture, apply machine learning to identify anomalous patterns, and classify suspicious modulations that may be linked to telemetry.
- Telemetry-proof cybersecurity guidelines for Ethereum users.
These tools will be published under open-source licenses and made available through GitHub, enabling community collaboration, replication, and iterative improvements. Educational resources will accompany the software to empower non-technical users, especially targeted individuals, to participate in detection and protection.
We will measure impact through usage analytics, community feedback, and contributions to the codebase. We aim to equip at least 170,000 underserved individuals—who currently lack technical or legal recourse—with actionable tools to defend cognitive privacy. A satisfied Ethereum community will see our efforts as crucial in preventing future privacy crises and ensuring that foundational rights keep pace with advancing threats.
5. Domain Information
We are not proposing a new domain. Our project aligns with existing domains such as cybersecurity, encryption, and digital privacy. The focus on cognitive telemetry and thought privacy fits within the broader context of protecting sensitive user data and safeguarding digital autonomy—key priorities for the Ethereum ecosystem.