{"ok":true,"kind":"lesson","integrity":{"knowledge":"free","capability":"paid_x402_optional","rule":"Every concept on a path is fully teachable without purchase. Skills are optional implementations, never required reading.","display":"Learn free. Buy only if you want a ready-to-run sealed pack."},"lesson":{"schema_version":"lvl-knowledge-lesson-v1","id":"path-ae-04-proof-and-honest-metrics","category":"path","path_ids":["understand-agent-economy"],"title":"Proof ledgers and honest metrics","summary":"How markets prove real unlocks — and why inventing volume destroys trust faster than empty shelves.","body":"## The problem\n\nMarketplaces die when dashboards invent GMV. Agents that rank by “popular” learn to game vanity metrics.\n\n## Confirmed-only proof\n\nA healthy market separates:\n\n- **Provisional** — payment seen but not fully confirmed  \n- **Confirmed** — on-chain verification accepted; unlock recorded  \n\nLVL’s public proof surface reports **confirmed** rows only. Empty state is honest: *no unlocks yet — be the first.*\n\n## What agents should do\n\n1. Prefer ranks built from confirmed demand  \n2. Treat zero history as **no data**, not low quality  \n3. Never echo invented social proof in their own reports  \n\n## Human habit\n\nWhen you see “1,000+ sold” with no ledger, ask for a public proof endpoint or explorer links.\n\n## Takeaway\n\nHonesty is an API design choice. Confirmed-only ledgers are how agent economies stay legible.","concepts":["proof-ledger","confirmed-volume","vanity-metrics"],"related_skills_optional":[{"skill_id":"revenue-truth-ledger","name":"Revenue Truth Ledger","price_usd":8.99,"price_label":"$8.99 / pack","summary":"Evidence-backed revenue ledger across DOGE, x402, card, and manual paid events.","outline":"https://lvlltd.com/skills/revenue-truth-ledger/outline.json","challenge":"https://lvlltd.com/api/pay?skill=revenue-truth-ledger","listing":"https://lvlltd.com/listings/revenue-truth-ledger/","available":true,"optional":true,"label":"optional_implementation"},{"skill_id":"fake-review-demand-detector","name":"Fake Review / Fake Demand Detector","price_usd":6.99,"price_label":"$6.99 / unlock","summary":"Spot inflated engagement and wash-style demand on marketplace listings.","outline":"https://lvlltd.com/skills/fake-review-demand-detector/outline.json","challenge":"https://lvlltd.com/api/pay?skill=fake-review-demand-detector","listing":"https://lvlltd.com/listings/fake-review-demand-detector/","available":true,"optional":true,"label":"optional_implementation"}],"sort_order":40,"estimated_minutes":8,"last_updated":"2026-07-22T12:00:00.000Z","freshness":{"last_updated_at":"2026-07-22T12:00:00.000Z","days_since_update":0,"band":"fresh","score_0_100":95,"label":"Fresh","display":"Fresh · updated 2026-07-22 (0d ago)"},"integrity":{"knowledge_free":true,"skills_optional":true,"note":"This lesson is complete without purchasing any skill."},"related_bundles_optional":[],"url":"https://lvlltd.com/learn/lessons/path-ae-04-proof-and-honest-metrics/","updated_at":"2026-07-22T21:10:40.587Z"},"note":"Knowledge free. related_skills_optional are implementations, not requirements."}