Yes, We Signed! Campaign to End the Violence
A toxic social experiment — and a peaceful way to end it
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — November 2, 2026
The world appears to be caught in a downward spiral of civil unrest, economic turmoil and rising violence — in the home, in the community and, at the personal level, through self-harm and suicide.
"Much of the public debate has focused on external factors — divisive politics, social media, technology and poor leadership. It is time to confront a deeper problem: the erosion of the human values that sustain civil society," said George Matafonov, CEO and founder of PByT.net.
"What most people don't realise is that this erosion is connected to a social experiment that began in the last century and has now become toxic," said Matafonov.
PByT, an Australian-developed technology platform, is launching the Yes, We Signed! campaign to challenge the growing influence of market principles of competition and self-interest over civil society, at the expense of traditional human values such as trust, cooperation, responsibility and mutual aid.
The dangers of subordinating society to market principles were highlighted more than 80 years ago by political economist Karl Polanyi in his landmark book The Great Transformation, in which he warned of the potential "demolition of society".
The experiment was not planned in a laboratory or orchestrated by some secret organisation. It emerged gradually through political, economic and social changes that increasingly extended market principles beyond the economy into everyday human relationships.
While competition and self-interest have their place in economic life, they cannot replace the human values upon which civil society depends.
"If we want to end the violence, the abuse and the despair, and restore hope in humanity, we must confront the consequences of this experiment and return human values to the core of civil society," said Matafonov.
The Yes, We Signed! campaign offers a practical way to begin.
It invites individuals, political parties, businesses and community organisations to read and sign the Freedom Declaration for Peace — a shared commitment to the values and principles that have enabled people to live and cooperate together throughout human history.
Signing the Declaration is more than an expression of support. It is a commitment to practise those values in everyday life and encourage others through personal example.
Modern technology now provides the means to bring millions of people together around a common commitment, make that commitment visible and track its adoption across society.
The campaign poses a question that could help initiate the next great social reform, potentially rivaling the economic reforms of the last century in significance:
What kind of society do you want to live in — one governed primarily by competition and self-interest, or one guided by cooperation, trust, responsibility and care for others?
"The economic reforms of the last century were about how we work together. The social reforms of this century must be about how we live together," said Matafonov.
One Declaration. One simple action. Millions united in purpose.
Yes, We Signed! For a human-centred world.
Further Information
About PByT — Powered by Trust
PByT is an Australian-developed technology platform supporting Project Open Democracy, an initiative designed to enable individuals and communities to participate in shaping society through verifiable public feedback, shared values and voluntary cooperation.
The Yes, We Signed! campaign is an initiative to mobilise society against domestic, sexual and workplace violence, abuse and other antisocial behaviour.
Media enquiries:
George Matafonov
Founder & CEO, PByT — Powered by Trust
Website: https://pbyt.net
ENDS