This proposal envisions an Internet built on peer-to-peer and Bitcoin-based protocols to eliminate central points of control and censorship. In today’s web, governments or platforms can block content (e.g. Turkey’s DNS block of Wikipedia and Twitter) . Big Tech monopolies further centralize information flow and erode privacy . Our design replaces these choke points with a layered P2P architecture anchored in Bitcoin’s open protocol. All data is shared across nodes (no trusted servers), routed through anonymizing overlays (Tor-like onion routing ), and indexed collaboratively. Payments and identity are native to the network via Bitcoin keys and Lightning channels. The result is a fully indexable, immutable, and censorship-resistant web of content and services.
Figure 1: Layered architecture of the proposed decentralized Internet. At the bottom is the Infrastructure Layer (P2P networks, Tor/I2P, mesh), above which sits the Economic Layer (Bitcoin L1 + Lightning L2). On top of that are application Protocols (e.g. Nostr, IPFS, Ordinals, DIDs, naming) and at the top Frontends (decentralized browsers, apps, wallets). The Infrastructure layer provides data transport and anonymity: it uses content-addressable P2P networks like IPFS/libp2p, distributed hash tables, and mesh/relay networks, along with anonymizing routers (Tor/I2P) to hide IPs . All content is split into chunks, each with a cryptographic identifier (CID), so links never break (“link rot” is impossible) . For example, IPFS stores files in a Merkle DAG so that each file has a unique CID based on its content . If a file is censored or deleted, any node with a copy can serve it – this is how Turkish Wikipedia was restored by simply reposting it on IPFS when access was blocked . The Tor network is used as an anonymity overlay, with multi-layer encryption that ensures no single relay knows both sender and destination . In short, the base layer routes data peer-to-peer with strong encryption and privacy, making surveillance or blocks very difficult.
Figure 2: Conceptual DAG used in content-addressable storage (e.g. IPFS). Each node in the Merkle DAG is content-addressed, ensuring immutability and deduplication .
The Economic Layer is Bitcoin itself. The Bitcoin blockchain provides secure consensus and immutable anchoring for system-critical data. We leverage Bitcoin not only for payments but for protocol-level anchors. Lightning Network (Bitcoin’s L2) gives the network high throughput and micropayment capability . For instance, every message or piece of content can be “paid for” instantly with tiny sats over Lightning. Lightning is fully decentralized and uses onion routing, so even the payment channels are censorship-resistant . As Bitfinex notes, Lightning “enables decentralized, fast, non-custodial, and low-cost payments with… censorship-resistance characteristics” . It excels at microtransactions – e.g. tipping content creators or streaming payments – which we use to fund bandwidth, storage and content monetization. In practice, a user might browse a blog post and instant-pay a few sats to the author via Lightning “zap” as a tip. (The Nostr protocol already supports these Lightning zaps for social posts .) Because Lightning channels require no fees to miners and route off-chain, they scale to millions of tiny transactions, letting users pay per-view or even per-byte in real time. The economic incentives thus align: nodes earn satoshis by serving data or search results, and creators earn sats for popular content. All economic value remains in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Above this sits the Protocol Layer of specialized P2P services:
- Decentralized Messaging (Nostr, Matrix, etc.) – We use Nostr as the exemplar. Nostr is a simple client-relay protocol where each user is a public/private keypair. A user’s public key is their identity, without needing a username or password . When you post a note or send a direct message, it is cryptographically signed by your key. Any relay node can store and forward it, so messages are replicated across the network. This means no single server controls your timeline: if one relay censors you, you can publish to another or fetch your feed elsewhere . Indeed, Nostr’s design makes content inherently durable – posts can be re-posted by anyone, so censorship is transient and localized . Lightning is built-in for payments (“zaps”), so readers can instantly tip authors . We would run open-source Nostr client-apps (e.g. Damus or Amethyst) as the user interface for chat, social posts, group messages, etc., with each app bundling a Lightning wallet and identity key.
- Decentralized Storage and Serving – Static websites, files, video and databases live on IPFS-like networks. Content is split into blocks (as in Fig. 2) and identified by CID ; nodes volunteer to store (“pin”) content. We also use Bitcoin-based anchoring: e.g. a site or important file’s CID or even its content can be inscribed on Bitcoin via Ordinals . Ordinals allow embedding data into Bitcoin transactions, meaning the data (or its hash) becomes an immutable, permanent part of Bitcoin’s ledger . For example, a static web page could be written to IPFS and its CID inscribed on-chain, guaranteeing it’s preserved. Combined with IPFS, this yields true immutability: once content is published and anchored, it can be retrieved forever by any node.
- Identity and Naming – We use self-sovereign identity (public keys, DIDs) and blockchain-based naming. Every user or service has a keypair (in Nostr, Tor, or a Bitcoin wallet) as a root identity. We can anchor identities on Bitcoin with decentralized identifiers (e.g. ION on Bitcoin ) and encode public-profile info off-chain. Reputation flows via a web-of-trust: users sign attestations of each other (e.g. who is a trusted journalist), stored as signed records on IPFS or Bitcoin. For human-friendly names, we rely on projects like ENS/Handshake (even though ENS is Ethereum-based, the concept is transferable): these replace DNS with blockchain TLDs and resolvers. ENS’s own docs say it provides “decentralized, trustworthy name resolution” for web3 resources, and that Namecoin/Handshake aim to replace all or part of DNS . In our network, domains like “alice.id” or “news.site” would be minted on a blockchain and resolved via a peer-to-peer lookup. No centralized registrar exists, so censorship by domain takedowns is impossible – indeed, blockchain DNS would have prevented Turkey’s Twitter block by making domain resolution immutable .
- Distributed Search & Indexing – To make content discoverable, we deploy a P2P search layer. Instead of Google, queries are broadcast to a network of indexing nodes. Each indexer peer crawls subscribed channels (IPFS DHT, Nostr relays, Bitcoin ordinals, etc.), builds partial indices, and charges micro-sats for queries. Research projects like Kamilata/Adamarus demonstrate this approach: Kamilata is a trustless P2P search library that powers the Adamarus IPFS search engine . We would leverage similar technology so that peers collaboratively build a global index. For example, each node might index files in its IPFS pinset and tweet/nostr posts it follows, then respond to keyword queries from others. As SwarmSearch suggests, a fully decentralized search can treat each piece of content as a “document” spread across agents . Feedback-learning (Relevance AI) could refine results. Critically, search remains free-to-use: the system is self-funded by rewarding indexers via Lightning. (Analogous ideas appear in research: The Graph indexes blockchain data but requires per-query fees, whereas PreSearch uses ad-revenue for rewards . Our model uses voluntary tips and possibly advertising paid in sats, to sustain indexing services.)
The Frontend/User Experience is the final layer. Users access this decentralized web via specialized browsers or apps. For instance, a “Bitcoin Web Browser” could have built-in Lightning, IPFS support, and plug-ins for Nostr chats. A user navigates to example.site; the browser looks up the blockchain DNS and retrieves the IPFS CID (or Bitcoin-inscribed content) for that site. Media streams come via IPFS or BitTorrent-like swarms. Chat apps fetch messages from Nostr relays. Tipping buttons send Lightning payments. The user sees a seamless web, but without relying on any corporation. Some of this is already emerging: Brave browser has IPFS support, and wallets like Alby integrate Lightning with web pages. This layer is open to innovation, but fundamentally each app trusts cryptographic identities and reads/writes data from the P2P underlayer.
Below is a summary table contrasting key issues:
| Challenge | Traditional Internet | Decentralized Bitcoin-based Internet |
| Censorship | Central DNS/hosting allows governments or firms to block sites . Instances or platforms can silence speakers. | P2P hosting + blockchain anchoring ensure content remains available. Even if one node is blocked, others serve it . A blockchain DNS would prevent DNS-based shutdowns . |
| Surveillance | Traffic routed through corporate servers (ISPs, CDNs) and social platforms; easy data collection and tracking. | All traffic is encrypted and onion-routed. No central logs – e.g. Tor-style routing means no single point sees both ends . User data resides in self-owned stores. |
| Centralized Control | A few platforms (Google, Facebook, Amazon) hold most user data and content. Algorithms determine visibility (monoculture of answers) . | Governance is decentralized. Everyone runs the same open protocol. Users choose relays/services freely (no single authority to dictate content or rules) . The web’s topology is a mesh, not a hub-spoke. |
| Content Immutability | Websites and posts can be edited or deleted by owners. DNS names expire; links break. | Content is content-addressed (CIDs) and/or blockchain-anchored. Any change creates a new ID; old versions persist. Bitcoin Ordinals can permanently inscribe content . Thus published content cannot be retroactively altered or removed without trace. |
| Monetization | Ad-driven or subscription models controlled by platforms. Creators get pennies; micropayments impractical. | Built-in crypto micropayments (Lightning) let users pay creators directly. Readers tip or subscribe per article/song via sats . Every node can earn by providing storage, bandwidth or search results, creating a sustainable economy. |
In summary, this system improves on today’s Internet by removing central chokepoints and aligning incentives via Bitcoin. Content is stored and delivered by all peers (censorship-resistant), networks are encrypted end-to-end (privacy-preserving), and no single company can shut down or surveil the entire system. The Bitcoin blockchain underpins trust and payments: its immutability ensures data integrity and funds security . Privacy is baked in via onion routing and user-key cryptography (as in Nostr’s identity model ). Scalability is addressed by layer-2 solutions: Lightning for payments, sharded or federated indexing for search, and content delivery using distributed caches (IPFS cluster, content peers).
Long-term sustainability comes from the open-source, decentralized nature of the design. There are no recurring subscription fees or corporate whims; the system self-funds through microtransactions and community-run infrastructure. As usage grows, storage and bandwidth scale with participants (more users → more nodes and content mirrors). Privacy and censorship-resistance improve as more people adopt the network, creating a virtuous cycle of openness. In this vision, the Internet truly becomes “the commons”: a fully peer-governed, Bitcoin-secured ecosystem where everyone can publish, communicate, and transact freely.
Sources: Current concepts and technologies are drawn from developments in Bitcoin and decentralization. For example, Nostr’s design on public-key identities and Lightning “zaps” , IPFS content addressing and censorship resistance , and blockchain naming (ENS, Handshake) inform our approach. Studies of decentralized search and Lightning’s economics guide the integrated search and payment features. These sources illustrate how the components can work together to create a censorship-resistant, user-owned Internet.