Sible Network has suspended its proposed multi-account mining feature less than a day after announcing it, following community concerns about fake accounts, unfair rewards and potential Sybil attacks.
Summary
- Sible Network has suspended its proposed three-account-per-device mining feature following complaints from users and ambassadors.
- The November 1 proposal would have allowed three different individuals to mine SIB tokens using one smartphone.
- Community members warned that the arrangement could encourage fake accounts, reward farming and unfair mining practices.
- Sible reaffirmed its “One Person = One Account” policy on November 2, prohibiting individuals from operating multiple accounts.
- The company said the original proposal was intended to help families unable to afford separate smartphones.
In a November 2 announcement, the decentralized AI project said it had reconsidered its decision to let three different individuals mine SIB tokens from a single smartphone. The company said feedback from users and ambassadors prompted the suspension, while reaffirming that each person may operate only one account.
The reversal followed a November 1 announcement that presented the feature as a way to make mobile mining more accessible to people who share devices.
Sible Network suspends multi-account mining proposal
On November 1, Sible Network announced plans to introduce an app update supporting up to three mining accounts on one smartphone.
The proposed feature would have allowed users to switch between accounts without relying on separate devices. Sible described the arrangement as a convenience for its growing community, although it did not announce a release date.
Its promotional message stated, “One device. Three accounts. More mining flexibility.”
Soon after the announcement, users questioned whether allowing multiple accounts on the same phone could undermine the project’s efforts to prevent fraudulent participation.
Sible initially defended the proposal, explaining that the three-account limit was intended to prevent people from operating large numbers of accounts on one device.
The team said it planned to introduce rules and penalties for deliberate misuse while allowing genuine participants to continue their mining activities.
However, the response failed to settle concerns about whether separate accounts could reliably be linked to separate individuals.
By November 2, Sible had changed its position, temporarily suspending the planned trial while maintaining its existing account restrictions.
Community warns of Sybil attacks and unfair rewards
Crypto commentator Vindicated Chidi questioned the proposal, arguing that a three-account feature could create opportunities for users to operate fake identities and collect additional mining rewards.
The commentator acknowledged the convenience of sharing a smartphone but raised concerns about how Sible would distinguish three legitimate participants from one person controlling several accounts.
“My biggest concern is the incentive structure,” Chidi wrote, questioning whether users might focus on creating accounts instead of contributing to the network.
The criticism centered on Sybil attacks, which occur when one person creates multiple identities to gain an unfair advantage in systems designed around individual participation.
In reward-based applications, fake accounts can potentially allow someone to collect benefits intended for separate users.
Chidi asked whether the accounts would require independent identity verification and whether mining rates would change when several people used one device.
The commentator did not claim that Sible had already suffered a Sybil attack. The concerns addressed possible abuse of the proposed feature.
Other community members expressed similar reservations, arguing that encouraging several accounts on one device could complicate existing efforts to detect fake users.
Similar concerns emerged when zkSync faced criticism over Sybil protections during its token airdrop, with users questioning how rewards were distributed.
Meanwhile, an alleged $4 million Sybil attack involving Avantis demonstrated how multiple wallet addresses can become a concern during token reward distributions.
Sible explains why it considered shared-device mining
Following the criticism, Sible explained that the feature was originally intended to support families with limited access to smartphones.
The company said it had received messages from people whose spouses and children wanted to participate but could not afford separate devices.
According to Sible, the proposal concerned three different individuals sharing one phone, not a single participant creating three mining accounts.
“One Person = One Account. No exceptions,” the team stated.
It reiterated that creating multiple accounts for personal gain remains prohibited under its participation rules.
Sible said its intention was to help users facing financial difficulties while keeping the network accessible to people in different circumstances.
The company acknowledged concerns about bots, fairness and potential account abuse, saying community feedback would guide its future decisions.
Its statement described the suspension as temporary, leaving open the possibility of reconsidering shared-device access under different safeguards.
Sible maintains one-account rule as mining plan changes
Sible Network presents itself as a decentralized AI project in which users participate through mobile mining and activities connected to its network.
Before the reversal, the team had described its planned account limit as a way to reduce spam while allowing users to complete mining sessions and Sentinel tasks.
The proposed arrangement was intended for an upcoming application update, meaning the announcement did not establish that the feature had entered general use.
In its subsequent community responses, Sible said it would continue examining ways to accommodate families sharing smartphones without encouraging account abuse.
The team acknowledged suggestions involving identity verification but did not announce a replacement feature or a new implementation timetable.
Sible’s existing one-account-per-person policy remains in place, and its November 2 statement confirmed that individuals are not permitted to create additional accounts to receive more mining rewards.
