Trust and Authority System Or, a deeper look at inter-personal relationships

One of the most interesting aspects of this site is the relationship dynamics between users.

Computer scientists are skilled at interacting with One of the most interesting aspects of this site is the relationship dynamics between users. Computer scientists are skilled at interacting with other people.

Wait a second…

Computer scientists are skilled terrible at One of the most interesting aspects of this site is the relationship dynamics between users. Computer scientists are skilled terrible at interacting with other people.

So how are we supposed to be able to design a system that we have trouble understanding in the first place?

So how are we supposed to be able to design a system that we have trouble understanding in the first place? Our suggestion:

Hire a psychologist. Our suggestion: So how are we supposed to be able to design a system that we have trouble understanding in the first place? Our suggestion: Hire a psychologist.

Hire a psychologist. Our suggestion: So how are we supposed to be able to design a system that we have trouble understanding in the first place? Our suggestion: Hire a psychologist. But since this probably isn’t the solution you were looking for…

Our first priority is to design the system such that it is flexible, and can be changed once real users start providing real data.

Our first priority is to design the system such that it is flexible, and can be changed once real users start providing real data. Especially since a team full of psychologists probably wouldn’t get it right the first time either… There’s no way to tell how people will interact with each other, especially in a medium that’s unlike anything ever offered before. What we can do is give our best guess, and make it easy to modify down the road. If we don’t make the system adaptive, then we’ve failed to capture the essence of the relationship dynamics.

1. TRUST

Two forms of trust What the user sees What the system calculates

Two forms of trust What the user sees “I trust the user this much.” What the system calculates “We think you might be interested in this user.”

9 Levels of Trust 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8

9 Levels of Trust “I would trust this user with my life.” 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 “I trust this user.” “I don’t know whether or not to trust this user.” Default Value “I don’t trust this user one bit.”

9 Levels of Trust Simple to the user More levels of trust than distrust Most values between 2 and 6, so these are close while ends are further apart The trust aspect is more interesting and useful in getting information to the user – the distrust information is only there to prevent the user from seeing what he doesn’t want It makes sense that there’s not a lot of difference between trust level 4 and 5, but most users reserve levels 7 and 8 for their most trusted users.

9 Levels of Trust Besides giving us information, Allows the user to organize his own information as well Imagine a case in which I watch some of your content, I like it, and bump your trust level a notch or two. Then I completely forget about watching it, until months later when another one of your videos pops up in my search results, and I notice that I trust you.

Not all people will utilize this system.

Not all people will utilize this system. Laziness Doesn’t care Chooses not to Can’t find/understand it (Shouldn’t be a problem if we design the website properly)

So, how do we fix this?

So, how do we gather information?

So, how do we present interesting content?

So, how do we establish relationships between people?

2. Implicit Trust

If a user doesn’t tell us how much he trusts someone, we have to guess for him.

Page views

Good (or bad) ratings

Comments and other interaction

Calculate and apply small deviations to the current trust level Use this value in all calculations, such as search results This value is never shown to the user!

Addresses not only those who never set trust levels, but also: Trust levels that haven’t been updated in a while Trust levels that are inconsistent with other information

3. Authority

Ideally, users would have an amount of inherent trust. Because this is how it works in real life.

Someone has inherent trust because: A lot of people trust him He is in a position to be trusted

This is where authority comes in. Someone has inherent trust because: A lot of people trust him He is in a position to be trusted This is where authority comes in.

A self-selected, self-correcting, system An author, when posting content in an area, is prompted to indicate his own level of authority There’s an incentive to tell the truth: If you lie, people will distrust you!

A self-selected, self-correcting, system If a user is not trusted enough to support his authority, he may be dropped down a rank If the user is trusted by a number of people, it may suggest that the user move up a rank This is affected by trust, ratings, views, and possibly peer reviews (more on this in a moment)

Elitism A system of our nature will create strong relationships, and high quality authors will emerge from the start Newer users will have a tough time breaking into this network, however By allowing a user to designate an appropriate authority level, he can be found early on

Perks:

Perks: Influence

Perks: Higher search results

Perks: $$$$$

Management by Admin Always better to have more eyes (and control) Can’t guarantee people will use trust and rating systems Might want to require Admin approval for highest levels of authority

Also, Peer Reviews High-authority users can review other authors’ content, and suggest a higher (or lower) authority Reviews should be well-written, high quality feedback provided by a reputable source A quick way to move up through the ranks

Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student Authority Levels Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student

Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student Authority Levels Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student User can select

Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student Authority Levels Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student Requires high inherent trust, Can write peer reviews

Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student Authority Levels Guru Expert Professional Teacher Amateur Student Requires admin approval, Can post premium content

A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

people A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

relationships A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

trust A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

records A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

information gathering A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

implicit A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

infer A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

directly A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

self-selected A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

self-selected self-correcting A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

rewards A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

deserve A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

new users A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

difference A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

extensible A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

add A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

add remove A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

add remove modify A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

adapt A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

interaction A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

dynamic A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.

Summary Trust Implicit Trust Authority Extensibility A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. Trust A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated, using other information that is collected. Implicit Trust A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. Authority A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent. Extensibility A network of people, who form relationships and indicate how much they trust each other, both for their own records and for our information gathering. A system of implicit trust, that is able to infer relationships that aren't directly stated. A self-selected, auto-correcting authority system, that rewards the users that deserve it, and allows new users to make a difference. A system that is extensible, with the ability to add, remove, and modify the types and ranges of values of relationships, that adapts to new forms of interaction between people, and is as dynamic as the relationships it serves to represent.