COMMUNITY

5. Antitrust Policy

Why an Antitrust Policy Is Needed

iFay is an open standard with multi-vendor implementations. From FayID to Ego models, from the protocol family to the FayGer runtime, different service providers can create their own implementations based on the iFay specification. The standards-setting process must be fair, transparent, and not biased toward any particular vendor, to ensure the healthy development and fair competition of the iFay ecosystem.

Core Principles

Open Participation

The standards-setting process is open to all participants. Whether you are an individual developer, a startup, or a large enterprise, you have equal opportunity to participate in the discussion and development of the iFay specification.

Prohibition of Competitive Exclusion

The standards-setting process must not be used to exclude competitors. Any attempt to create an unfair advantage for a specific implementation through specification design is unacceptable.

Prohibition of Competitively Sensitive Topics

The following topics must not be discussed in standards-setting meetings or discussions:

  • Product or service pricing
  • Market allocation or customer allocation
  • Production limits or sales strategies
  • Other topics that may constitute anti-competitive behavior

Equal Treatment

All participants are equal and shall not receive special treatment based on company size, market position, or contribution volume. In SEP voting, working group discussions, and technical decisions, every participant's opinion should be treated equally.

Intellectual Property Disclosure (FRAND Principles)

Parties participating in iFay standards development must disclose relevant patents and intellectual property before participating. iFay follows the FRAND principles (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory):

  • Fair: Licensing terms are fair to all implementers
  • Reasonable: Licensing fees are reasonable and do not constitute a barrier to implementation
  • Non-Discriminatory: The same licensing conditions are offered to all implementers

Participant Obligations

Participate as Individuals

Participants should engage in the standards-setting process as individuals, representing the best technical interests rather than their company's commercial interests. This is consistent with the principle in the iFay governance model that "membership belongs to individuals, not companies."

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

If a conflict of interest is identified, participants should proactively disclose it and recuse themselves from related decisions. For example:

  • When a specification change under discussion may directly affect the competitive position of the participant's company's products
  • When the participant holds patents related to the topic under discussion
  • When the participant has a direct interest in a competing implementation

Enforcement

Violations of the antitrust policy will be investigated and handled by Core Maintainers:

  • Minor violations: Private reminder and request for correction
  • Repeated violations: Public warning and documentation
  • Serious violations: Participation privileges may be suspended or revoked

The iFay community is committed to maintaining a fair and open standards-setting environment. If you observe any behavior that may violate the antitrust policy, please report it to the Core Maintainers.