I am thinking about implementing an open network (over VPN), where the connectivity of nodes depends on their reputation, kind of KarmaNET. Before the internet, misbehaving nodes would be excommunicado, physically disconnected. This is not possible anymore. In this KarmaNET, anyone could generate a key pair and join. New nodes would have 0 reputation though, so far not all other nodes on the network would receive incoming connections from such nodes. In order to gain reputation, one would have to do something useful for the network/people on the network, e.g. write an interesting article, host a ftp server, a public xmpp server, an e-mail service, host a video, etc. That would also naturally incentivize distributed services and prevent spam/scrape. This might be similar to web3 though, or directly use some of its concepts. Main question is how to prevent all sorts of abuses, which are mostly known from social networks, like rapid circular reputation pumping, mass cooperated dislikes, etc.