the stewards

The Golden Share will be held by an independent body, the Ruck Foundation, and exercised by a small board called the Stewards. Five of them. Volunteers, unpaid beyond expenses. Their only job is to guard the constitution.

The Foundation is being formed; the first Stewards are not yet appointed. The figures below are working numbers, still being confirmed.

who qualifies

A Steward is independent of Ruck: no shares, no financial interest, no business relationship with the company or its investors. Being a user is fine. Beyond that, a commitment to LGBT+ rights, ethical technology, and user protection.

how they are chosen

The Foundation appoints its own Stewards, against published criteria. The founder appoints the first five, then steps away. After that, appointments need at least four of the five sitting Stewards and full notice; no small faction can pack the board. One seat is reserved for specific expertise, such as law or online safety. Every appointment is published, with the reasons.

Before an appointment is confirmed, it is opened to objection: the person’s name and background are published, and anyone can raise a substantiated concern.

what stops a takeover

• Staggered terms. Three years each, staggered so only one or two change in a year.
• Term limits. Two consecutive terms, then out.
• Removal for cause, by a supermajority of the others, with due process.
• No self-protection. No Steward can vote to block their own removal or entrench their allies. Such a vote is void.
• No packing. The Foundation’s membership is tied to the Stewards, so it cannot be flooded with new members.
• Everything published.

the head steward

The Stewards elect a Head Steward to chair and run appointments, for two years. The Head Steward has no casting vote on the veto or on appointments.

the founder’s exit

The founder sets up the Foundation and appoints the first Stewards, then leaves entirely. He cannot be a Steward: he holds Ruck shares. Once the board is seated and has elected its Head Steward, he transfers the Golden Share and steps out. This happens before Ruck takes outside investment, and within eighteen months at the latest. He cannot use any power to delay it.