Non-Maleficence
Non-Maleficence is a foundational OMXUS principle derived from medical ethics. The system cannot be weaponized against its users. Not "we promise not to" — architecturally impossible.
The Principle
From medical ethics: "First, do no harm."
In OMXUS: No mechanism exists within the protocol to harm participants.
This is not a policy choice. It is a design constraint. The system lacks the components necessary to cause harm.
How It's Architecturally Impossible
| Attack Vector | Why It Can't Happen |
|---|---|
| Steal identity | NFC ring required, can't duplicate |
| Fake votes | Signed by ring, verified on-chain |
| Target individuals | No mechanism for individual punishment |
| Centralized shutdown | Mesh network, no single point of control |
| Data exploitation | User-owned, encrypted, no central access |
| Revoke membership | No authority has revocation power |
| Silence dissent | Mesh + fallbacks, no chokepoints |
| Surveillance abuse | All-or-none principle, no hidden watching |
What's Missing (By Design)
The OMXUS protocol deliberately lacks:
No Punishment Infrastructure
- No fines
- No imprisonment mechanism
- No blacklisting
- No social credit scoring
- No exclusion mechanics
No Surveillance Apparatus
- No central data collection
- No behavior tracking
- No predictive policing
- No profiling
- No hidden monitoring
No Revocation Authority
- No admin accounts
- No master keys
- No override switches
- No emergency powers
- No "for your safety" exceptions
The Difference from Traditional Systems
| Traditional System | OMXUS |
|---|---|
| "We won't abuse power" | Power to abuse doesn't exist |
| "Trust our policies" | Trust the architecture |
| "We have oversight" | No overseer needed |
| "We follow the law" | Math doesn't break laws |
| "We're the good guys" | Good guys aren't needed |
Technical Implementation
Decentralization
- No central server to attack or corrupt
- Mesh network routes around failures
- LoRa/HF radio fallbacks if internet fails
- Data stored across many nodes
Cryptographic Protection
- Only your ring can sign for you
- Votes are cryptographically verified
- Identity is mathematically proven
- Tampering is detectable
Structural Limitations
- Protocol has no "harm user" function
- No API for punishment
- No database of offenses
- No execution mechanism for sanctions
Why This Matters
Power Corrupts
Every system with the capacity for harm eventually uses it:
- Governments become authoritarian
- Platforms become extractive
- Institutions become self-serving
OMXUS removes the capacity, not just the current intent.
Future-Proofing
Today's good actors may be tomorrow's bad actors:
- Leadership changes
- Incentives shift
- Emergencies "require" exceptions
- Mission creep expands scope
OMXUS protects against future corruption by eliminating the tools.
Trust Through Architecture
You don't have to trust:
- The developers
- The early adopters
- The governance council
- Anyone
The system is trustworthy because it lacks the means to betray.
Connection to Medical Ethics
The Four Principles of medical ethics:
- Autonomy — Self-sovereign identity, user control
- Non-Maleficence — Cannot harm, by design
- Beneficence — System exists to serve human flourishing
- Justice — Prevention only, no punishment
OMXUS is built on all four, with non-maleficence as the hardest constraint.