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This "peer reviewed algorithm" is basically PageRank, or close enough for the following critique to apply: None of these algorithms are models that infer trust

This "peer reviewed algorithm" is basically PageRank, or close enough for the following critique to apply: None of these algorithms are models that infer trust from raw content, aka there is no special sauce for trust here, it's just an information theory problem in the abstract. So Garbage In, Garbage Out. These algorithms are only good when you have a single, consistent signal of trust that you can trust. So it will have the same issues that Google has with SEO spam, and there's no graph-traversing algorithm to solve that, as it is an out-of-band issue compared to what these algorithms are designed to take as input. Take outgoing links to be your signal of trust, and you'll create a linkspam problem. So you need an anti-spam model that sits in front of this algorithm to detect violations of webmaster guidelines, aka gaming the system. So in other words, all you need to do to game the system is generate a bunch of accounts that publicly link to you, follow you, or whatever this systems' input of 'User A trusts User B' is. And not get caught by whatever anti-spam or anti-bot model they're using.

dogcomplex 3y ago
Which is why we need Proof of Identity based internet infrastructure asap to verify people are real behind the avatar.
- woah 3y ago
  Won't stop the problem. There is an inexhaustible supply of real people who are willing to help game any system for ideology or entertainment.
  - MichaelZuo 3y ago
    It's trivial to store a ban list of several billion User IDs in memory. That's only a few tens of GB. As long as it can be guaranteed that one specific individual can only ever create one account, it's not a problem at all.
- tetromino_ 3y ago
  In many countries there is already a market for buying and selling real world identities of penniless students and homeless alcoholics to use for nefarious ends, e.g. financial fraud or registering shell companies. Given enough financial incentive, Proof of Identity is insufficient.
  - dogcomplex 3y ago
    Proof of identity with a social network backing of people vouching for each other then. As long as ids are limited we can track and assign trust in a secondary market. Anyone pulling stunts like you mention is just selling out their credit for a one-time small gain. Of course that will happen still, but it can be disincentivized financially - and has been in irl societies less desperate or with more attached to their social credit
    - JohnFen 3y ago
      > Proof of identity with a social network backing of people vouching for each other then Which would seriously reduce the number of people willing or able to use the web.
      - dogcomplex 3y ago
        You can wrap those identities behind anonymous usernames. The point is just to be able to link 1 identity per person.

dogcomplex 3y ago

Which is why we need Proof of Identity based internet infrastructure asap to verify people are real behind the avatar.

woah 3y ago
Won't stop the problem. There is an inexhaustible supply of real people who are willing to help game any system for ideology or entertainment.
- MichaelZuo 3y ago
  It's trivial to store a ban list of several billion User IDs in memory. That's only a few tens of GB. As long as it can be guaranteed that one specific individual can only ever create one account, it's not a problem at all.
tetromino_ 3y ago
In many countries there is already a market for buying and selling real world identities of penniless students and homeless alcoholics to use for nefarious ends, e.g. financial fraud or registering shell companies. Given enough financial incentive, Proof of Identity is insufficient.
- dogcomplex 3y ago
  Proof of identity with a social network backing of people vouching for each other then. As long as ids are limited we can track and assign trust in a secondary market. Anyone pulling stunts like you mention is just selling out their credit for a one-time small gain. Of course that will happen still, but it can be disincentivized financially - and has been in irl societies less desperate or with more attached to their social credit
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    > Proof of identity with a social network backing of people vouching for each other then Which would seriously reduce the number of people willing or able to use the web.
    - dogcomplex 3y ago
      You can wrap those identities behind anonymous usernames. The point is just to be able to link 1 identity per person.