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How do you prevent bots giving each other reputation?

by lukevp 6y ago

wyager 6y ago
Some strategies: Make reputation scores the result of some sort of eigendecomposition-based algorithm (similar to PageRank) where the initial state vector is based on the people you trust. That way, you’ll only give credence to a bot to whatever degree you (indirectly) trust the bot. Implement Sybil resistance with a combination of verifiable cost and blacklisting. Make it cost real verifiable resources to create an identity (hashcash or Bitcoin burning or something) and then have a system for blacklisting fake IDs.
- MaxBarraclough 6y ago
  > Make reputation scores the result of some sort of eigendecomposition-based algorithm (similar to PageRank) where the initial state vector is based on the people you trust. That way, you’ll only give credence to a bot to whatever degree you (indirectly) trust the bot. This is just 'web of trust', right? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_of_trust https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_of_trust
maxerickson 6y ago
By punishing their connections when they misbehave. Or at least, that's how you make it not matter. If spam-bot hands out reputation to spim-bot and then you get a bunch of garbage from spim-bot, derate everything coming from anyone that has given either of them reputation (and perhaps ignore their attestations also).
- walls 6y ago
  Now what happens when spam is done through a compromised user, or when the user acts human and has real interactions before spamming?
  - maxerickson 6y ago
    I suppose it depends on the details quite a lot. But fundamentally, it isn't particularly harmful to just burn a user that starts spamming. If a compromised account is recovered, it's fine if they have to restore communication out of band, if it isn't recovered it's fine that it is burned.
Evidlo 6y ago
I can't believe I'm suggesting this, but maybe trade it through cryptocurrency. Pay a few bucks to create an account. It might get expensive to start a server and have others agree to federate with you though. Could also just use regular money.

How do you prevent bots giving each other reputation?

by lukevp 6y ago

How do you prevent bots giving each other reputation?

Some strategies: Make reputation scores the result of some sort of eigendecomposition-based algorithm (similar to PageRank) where the initial state vector is based on the people you trust. That way, you’ll only give credence to a bot to whatever degree you (indirectly) trust the bot. Implement Sybil resistance with a combination of verifiable cost and blacklisting. Make it cost real verifiable resources to create an identity (hashcash or Bitcoin burning or something) and then have a system for blacklisting fake IDs.

MaxBarraclough 6y ago
> Make reputation scores the result of some sort of eigendecomposition-based algorithm (similar to PageRank) where the initial state vector is based on the people you trust. That way, you’ll only give credence to a bot to whatever degree you (indirectly) trust the bot. This is just 'web of trust', right? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_of_trust https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_of_trust

maxerickson 6y ago

By punishing their connections when they misbehave. Or at least, that's how you make it not matter. If spam-bot hands out reputation to spim-bot and then you get a bunch of garbage from spim-bot, derate everything coming from anyone that has given either of them reputation (and perhaps ignore their attestations also).

walls 6y ago
Now what happens when spam is done through a compromised user, or when the user acts human and has real interactions before spamming?
- maxerickson 6y ago
  I suppose it depends on the details quite a lot. But fundamentally, it isn't particularly harmful to just burn a user that starts spamming. If a compromised account is recovered, it's fine if they have to restore communication out of band, if it isn't recovered it's fine that it is burned.

Evidlo 6y ago

I can't believe I'm suggesting this, but maybe trade it through cryptocurrency. Pay a few bucks to create an account. It might get expensive to start a server and have others agree to federate with you though. Could also just use regular money.