Swift Demand - The Basic Income experiment is still in progress
Swiftdemand.com, still alive a kicking 9 months after I joined - anything new to report?
What is Swift Demand?
Last year I wrote a blog about a website I'd found called swiftdemand.com, the blog contained some background into Basic Income and Swift Demand, and some details on how different countries were pushing the Basic Income agenda.
To be honest, I wasn't sure that the website would still be around this year, but as there was no cost to join and the collection of Swift tokens each week took (and still takes) less than 30 seconds, I thought what the hell and signed up.
Swift Demand is an attempt at basic income. source
I do like how they word the first answer in the FAQ. It seems like another way of saying 'Well we're having a go, just sign on each week and claim your Swifts and who knows!'
And I do think it is a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained - it's free to join, takes no time out of your week, might as well get on board and see if anything comes of it.
Any Interest?
Last month, I wrote a post displaying my 'Top 10 Posts by Late Votes' - Votes that had been added to the post after the 7 day window.
Not knowing what to expect when I ran the query, the Swift Demand post came out on top. Today, the post has had 16 late votes, followed by a 6, and a number of 3's, 2's, and 1's for others in list returned from the Steem Blockchain - It is easily my most popular late voted post.
For me, this shows that there is some interest in this subject area, hence the update today.
Anything new?
The website, and weekly claim process hasn't really changed much. It has a simple layout (which I like), and the claims process is fast and straight-forward. I get an email once a week asking me to 'claim my swifts', click the link, sign in, press the Claim button, and that's it until next week.
What has happened gradually to the site over the past 8/9 months is additional requests for verification information.
This started out with name and email address, and has recently involved entering a residental address and phone number. I can see this being off-putting to some, and could be why SwiftDemand didn't go for this approach from the outset.
It seems that this additional information has be requested to:
...ensure the integrity of the SwiftDemand system and prevent people from creating multiple accounts. Documents are only required if you wish to transfer Swifts or make purchases in the store.
And as there is a referral program in place at present, I guess the above needs to be there.
Even more recently, a request to add 'Government ID' has appeared. I've not provided this yet, partly due to laziness, and partly due to the fact that this and some of the ID mentioned above, isn't actually required to sign up and start claiming Swifts.
I suspect that if the project does start to look promising - I've had questions related to an exchange listing (which is not currently the case, and I've not seen anything that alludes to this happening in the near future), then I will look to add this additional identification at this point.
The Store
For a couple of months now, it's been posible to buy and list items for sale on the website. I've not ventured into this yet (as I think what is currently listed is rubbish!), but have wondered about listing Steem Accounts. There are obviously a few issues here, trust being one of them, but also: How much is a Swift token worth? And so, how many Swifts should I list as the purchase price for a Steem account?
The bonus could be a bit more visibility for Steem, and so I'll consider it a bit more over the coming weeks.
End
For the time being, I will be logging in each week to collect my tokens. I'm realistic about the potential of the project, meaning that I don't pin much hope on it ever becoming a solid source of Basic Income. However, at the same time, I don't want to be looking back at this in 5 years thinking, bugger!
Resources
https://medium.com/swiftdemand/swiftdemands-mission-d37d40534708 - Christopher Gregorio, Founder & CEO of SwiftDemand
https://www.swiftdemand.com/?referred_by=asher - My referral link to the website
If you do choose to take a look and sign up via my referral link I will see this on the site, but also let me know in the comments too.
Have a nice day all!
Asher @abh12345
Just signed up too via your referral - thanks for the link!
Government ID looks to be required to send Swift or make purchases... Yeah, I can wait with that :D
Thanks again, I'll keep an eye on it!
Nice one :)
Looking at the site, it seems that i'll have to wait for 'pending referrals' to moved to 'confirmed' based on ID being added by the referred account. That's cool, no rush is there - let's see what happens :)
Ok, good to know. That could take awhile! ;)
Coming from the set-and-forget Mannacoin which share the same fream of basic income, manual claim each week is a deal breaker to a lazy ass like me.
haha, total lazy ass! 30 seconds man :D lol!
Thanks for this post @abh12345.
It is good to see that project still going. I agree, might be nothing but worth the effort. It takes so little time to collect the tokens...and who knows.
This project is further behind Manna which is an actual token that is on a couple exchanges. Nevertheless, both are in early stages and could end up not going anywhere.
It is a concept I support...tokens that are designed to be given out as a basic income.
Yeah, we shall see on the outcome. But as you say, it takes no time to 'collect' at all each week, and without the requirement for ID to do that..... yer might as well!
So manna are listed for trading? That's a positive sign.
Yes it is on southxchange and there was another one they just posted about this week.
Not exactly mainstream exchanges but I look at it as a start.
I must admit to not knowing this exchange but agree it is a start at least.
I registered at start of this year and have accumulated in total like 20k swifts. Have purchased two products: satisfied with 1 purchase, scammed in other. Been sending support to refund the swifts — no reply so far.
And with the id verification that's implemented recently, I won't bother now.
Ps: sharing the experience.
Could be worth still collecting them each week, you don't need to add the ID to do that?
I always ask myself “how are they making money?” Then I see the kind information they want and you just got to wonder “would they sell it?” Does not matter if a site says they will never do anything with it quite a few have in the past. Even more so how secure would your data they now are storing even be? Which is the bigger question. That is just more information than I would be willing to give someone for something “free.”
Yes you make good points. It's certainly not for everyone, and I think that a lot of people are waiting for the time where they can see value in the token before adding any 'reasonable' amount of personal information.
I'll still sign on and collect, and wait with a (very) small amount of hope for that day :)
That reminds me to claim my tokens... 6.8k so far 😃
The project looks interesting and the existence of the store is a big plus. For now, I'm just like you collecting tokens.
I have no intention to provide the government IDs unless the project really takes off and my tokens are worth something. I just don't like the idea of my IDs being out there unless it is absolutely necessary.
Same as you with regards to the Government ID, no real reason to do that unless the project looks to be a winner.
6.8k, not bad - I have a few more, but as they a currently worthless, who's counting? :D
I recently started collecting both manna and swift. It will be interesting to see what manna has planned for their platform. I have no plans to give my ID to swift. It would have to be extremely worthwhile profit wise for me to even concider doing so..
Yeah I'm thinking the same with regards to handing over more ID. The ID i've already given is plenty for now.
Thanks for your comments.
That you need to provide your identify ID scares me a bit. You don't want to be part of identity fraud. What if they are just collecting 100k passport copies to sell them at the black market?
Neither do I understand how such a concept could ever work? As there is not such a thing as free money.
They ain't getting my passport until I see the 'free' money!
Just as they wont let me use the token until I show them the unique ID!
Didn't they say that about this Bitcoin thing? :)
In the end someone also has to pay for Bitcoin.
Although I could come up with a situation where no one makes any profit 😬
But if someone for really rich with Bitcoin, someone else is poor. Or a lot of people lost a little bit of money. But it has to come from somewhere.
the manna base in the crypto is also working in the same field
It's new to me
Still it seems to be very effective for us
Need to know more about it
Thank you for informative post..