Kyys

Kyys is a fictional concept used in speculative fiction and world-building to describe a social-technical framework for governing digital communities. In this context, kyys combines norms, processes, and tools to support voluntary participation, transparent decision-making, and adaptive leadership.

Origin and usage: The term is commonly described in online fiction, role-playing games, and wiki-based world-building as a model for inclusive governance within a shared digital space. It is presented as a way for diverse participants to shape rules and practices through collaborative effort.

Core principles and structure: Key elements include consensus-oriented decision-making, rotating or emergent leadership, accountability, data privacy, and non-coercive persuasion. Practices include regular decision cycles, conflict-resolution protocols, and open documentation, supported by tools such as dashboards, vote-tracking, and audit trails.

Variants and examples: Some depictions present kyys as a lightweight, informal approach (kyys-lite), while others imagine a formal version with codified rules (kyys-standard). In fiction, kyys is used to explore how communities balance individual autonomy with collective welfare in virtual environments.

Reception and critique: As a thought experiment, kyys is cited in discussions of sociotechnical systems and online governance. Critics warn that idealized kyys models may overlook power dynamics, information asymmetries, and practical barriers to achieving consensus.

See also: Participatory governance, online communities, cooperative systems.