What is Basic Attention?

Basic Attention Token (BAT) is an open-source, decentralized advertising platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. It conducted an initial coin offering on May 31, 2017, raising approximately $35 million within a short time. BAT aims to enhance digital advertising by facilitating transactions between advertisers and website publishers for user attention. The token incorporates attention measurement systems, analytics dashboards, and machine learning algorithms, with a focus on user data privacy by performing ad targeting locally, without third-party tracking.

The project was founded in 2016 by Brendan Eich, the co-founder of Mozilla and creator of JavaScript, along with other notable team members including Brian Bondy and Scott Locklin. BAT is primarily integrated with the Brave browser, which is designed to block trackers and malware while rewarding users for their attention. The platform works to ensure that user data remains anonymous and private, as personal tracking information is only stored on the user's device.