A brief explainer on why distributing precious digital collectibles with a POAP Kiosk is more secure than a POAP Website.
Intro: What is a POAP Website? What is a POAP Kiosk?
Setting up a POAP Website creates a static URL; static simply means it cannot change. Anyone who visits this URL can mint your POAP.
A POAP Website is typically turned into a static QR code. For example, you print out a QR code and display it during your in-person event. Anyone who scans this QR code can mint your POAP.
Setting up a POAP Kiosk creates a dynamic QR code that can be displayed on any device (or multiple devices simultaneously); dynamic simply means it can change.
Because a POAP Kiosk is a dynamic QR code, the display rotates in a new QR code each time someone scans it to mint your POAP.
What’s wrong with a POAP Website?
Nothing is wrong with a POAP Website, necessarily. However, because it’s static it can be difficult to prevent it from leaking, especially at large events. A leaked POAP Website can lead to your precious digital collectibles getting minted by people who did not attend your event.
A leaked POAP Website might look like:
- Someone takes a picture of your static QR code and shares it online or with other people not at your event. Many people scan your QR code in a short period of time and you run out of POAPs.
- Someone discovers the actual URL of your website and shares it online or with other people not at your event. Many people visit your URL in a short period of time and you run out of POAPs.
What makes a POAP Kiosk better?
The dynamic nature of a POAP Kiosk makes it much more secure than a typical POAP Website. Each time a QR code is scanned a new one replaces it, and each QR code allows for the minting of only a single POAP. As long as you follow our instructions on setting up a POAP Kiosk, it’s essentially impossible for your POAP to “leak.”
You can also display a POAP Kiosk on multiple devices simultaneously, making it more versatile than a POAP Website. For instance, you might display your POAP Kiosk on an iPad at the check-in of your event and also run a second Kiosk on your phone to distribute the POAP to anyone who may have missed it at check-in.
So why would I ever use a POAP Website?
For most in-person events, a POAP Kiosk is preferred. There are still some cases where a POAP Website might make sense or is needed, such as:
- Your event is small and you trust attendees will not leak the URL of your POAP Website or an image of the QR code.
- You do not have a reliable internet connection.
- You do not have a device on which you can display the POAP Kiosk (though, remember, even a phone will do).
But if your event does not match the criteria above, you should probably use a POAP Kiosk!
Conclusion: why should I care?
As an issuer, it is important that you place a high priority on ensuring your POAPs only end up in the wallets of people who actually attended your event. When a memory is collected by people who did not share the experience, the value prop of POAP is diluted. Each POAP should be a one-of-a-kind collectible that creates a moment of delight for collectors and an emotional connection between issuer and collector.
As an issuer, if your POAP is minted by people not at your event, you no longer have a reliable record of who attended. As a collector, your digital collectible now feels less precious. It can ruin the fun for everyone.
Careful and secure POAP distribution is essential to the long-term health of the Proof of Attendance Protocol!
To keep up to date, subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and come join the conversation on Discord.