lintafgifte

Lintafgifte is a theoretical construct used in discussions of gift economies and digital microtransaction systems. It describes a structured mechanism for exchanging small, fungible units called lint, which are allocated and redistributed among participants to support cooperative projects, mutual aid, or creative collaboration. The concept sits between traditional gift exchange and token-based economies, emphasizing reciprocity without formal price setting.

The term lintafgifte is a neologism that arose in scholarly debates in the 2010s about online platform labor, micro-donations, and participatory budgeting. It combines a notion of small, informal value transfer with a formalized allocation process.

In a typical model, a central ledger issues lint units to registered participants. Participants can pledge lint to projects or other individuals. Pledges are matched by a distribution algorithm, and lint is transferred through a transaction layer that preserves privacy while recording exchanges for accountability. Redemption of lint can be tied to concrete goods, services, or influence within a platform, depending on local rules. The system is designed to be low-cost, scalable, and inclusive, with thresholds to prevent domination by large contributors.

Lintafgifte has been discussed as a tool for crowdfunding, educational grants, and community-driven resource sharing where traditional fundraising is difficult. It has also been used as a framework for experimental governance in digital cooperatives.

Critics warn that lintafgifte could reproduce inequalities if access to lint is uneven, or that privacy concerns may arise from transaction records. Implementations require careful governance to avoid gaming, sybil attacks, or capture by centralized actors.

See also: gift economy, token economy, microtransaction, participatory budgeting.