Method and system for evaluating trustworthiness

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and system for evaluating the trustworthiness of a target person by a user. The method and system include providing a network comprising a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of directed links, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes is associated with a person and each link in the plurality of links connects from a first node to a second node. The link is associated with a trusting relationship from a first person associated with the first node to a second person associated with the second node, and wherein the user is associated with at least one node in the plurality of nodes. A continuous path from the user to the target person is identified, wherein the continuous path begins at a node in the network that is associated with the user and ends at a node in the network that is associated with the target person, the continuous path traversing links from their first node to their second node, the continuous path termed a trust path, thereby providing an indication of the trustworthiness of the target person.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of evaluating the trustworthiness of a target person by a user, the method comprising:
 providing a network comprising a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of directed links,
 wherein each node in said plurality of nodes is associated with a person and each link in said plurality of links connects from a first node to a second node, said link being associated with a trusting relationship from a first person associated with said first node to a second person associated with said second node, and wherein said user is associated with at least one node in said plurality of nodes; and 
 conducting a search in said network to identify a continuous path from said user to said target person, wherein said continuous path begins at a node in said network that is associated with said user and ends at a node in said network that is associated with said target person, said continuous path traversing links from their first node to their second node, said continuous path defining a trust path, 
   the presence or absence of such continuous path thereby providing an indication of the trustworthiness of said target person.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identity of any one person associated with any one node of said plurality of nodes is concealed from all persons except those persons associated with nodes connected to said one node. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the existence of any one link in the trust network is concealed from all persons except the person associated with the first node connected to that link. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one said second node in said network serves also as a first node and is in turn connected to at least one other node in said network, thereby extending the network indefinitely. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said network includes at least one link associated with a trusting relationship from said second person to said first person. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more attributes are associated with one or more of said plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more attributes associated with the nodes included in said trust path are used to refine the indication of trustworthiness provided by said trust path. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more attributes associated with one or more of said plurality of nodes when present are used to select a subset of said plurality of nodes which along with their connected links comprise a sub-network which becomes the domain for identifying said trust path. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more attributes are associated with one or more of said plurality of links. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said one or more attributes associated with the links included in said trust path are used to refine the indication of trustworthiness provided by said trust path. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  where one of said attributes associated with one or more of the said links included in said trust path represents distrust and provides an explicit indication of lack of trustworthiness of the person associated with the second node of that link. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein representation of distrust is selected to limit defamatory content. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said one or more attributes associated with said one or more links are used to select a subset of said plurality of links which along with their connected nodes comprise a sub-network which becomes the domain for identifying said trust path. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of said indication of trustworthiness is determined by the nature of said trust path. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 ,wherein said indication of trustworthiness is determined by the nature of said trust path. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of said indication of trustworthiness is determined by the structure of said network. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said indication of trustworthiness is determined by the structure of said network. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identity or personal information of the persons associated with at least one of said nodes is masked. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein masking is by using an alias. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said alias includes a unique personal identifier, a domain name and user name, an email address, or a trade name. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said alias is provided automatically for temporary use or one-time use. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identity and personal information of the persons associated with said nodes are masked. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein masking is by using an alias. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said alias includes a unique personal identifier, a domain name and user name, an email address, or a trade name. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said alias is provided automatically for temporary use or one-time use. 
     
     
         26 . A complemented method of expanding a trust network, the method comprising
 providing a network comprising a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of directed links,
 wherein each node in said plurality of nodes is associated with a person and each link in said plurality of links connects from a first node to a second node, said link being associated with a trusting relationship from a first person associated with said first node to a second person associated with said second node; 
   inputting from a person not associated with an existing node in said network at least one alias and other information necessary for security purposes or for analytical purposes or for other purposes;   creating a node in said network associated with said person;   inputting from a person associated with an existing first node on said network trustworthiness information for a person associated with an existing second node on said network and other information necessary for security purposes or for analytical purposes or for other purposes; and   forming a link connecting from said first node associated to said first person and said existing second node associated with said second person,   thereby expanding said trust network   
     
     
         27 . A computer-implemented method for insuring an operator of a trust network from a defamation claim, the method comprising
 providing a trust network with one or more links expressing distrust;   selecting a representation for presenting said distrust; and   providing insurance to an operator of said trust network against a claim of defamation based on the selection of distrust representation, wherein the amount of insurance is determined based on the probable defamatory character of said distrust representation.   
     
     
         28 . A system for evaluating the trustworthiness of a target person by a user, the system comprising
 a database, said database including a computer-readable representation of a network, said network representation comprising representations of a plurality of nodes and representations of a plurality of directed links, and representations of the connections of said nodes by said links,   wherein each node in said plurality of nodes is associated with a person and each link in said plurality of links connects from a first node to a second node, said link being associated with a trusting relationship from a first person associated with said first node to a second person associated with said second node; and wherein said user is associated with at least one node in said plurality of nodes and said persons and their associations with nodes are represented in said database; and   a computer program product, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:   access said database and said representation of said network and, identify in said network a continuous path from a said user to said target person, wherein said continuous path begins at a node in said network that is associated with said user and ends at a node in said network that is associated with said target person, said continuous path traversing links from their first node to their second node, said continuous path termed a trust path,   thereby providing an indication of the trustworthiness of said target person.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the identity of any one person associated with any one node of said plurality of nodes is concealed from all persons except those persons associated with nodes connected to said one node. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the existence of any one link in the trust network is concealed from all persons except the person associated with the first node connected to that link. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein at least one said second node in said network serves also as a first node and is in turn connected to at least one other node in said network, thereby extending the network indefinitely. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein
 said database resides on a server,
 said computer program product resides on said server; 
 one or more client devices are operably linked to said server; and 
   said user interacts with said database and said computer program product through said client device.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said database is distributed among a plurality of computers. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said computer program product is distributed among a plurality of computers. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein one or more client devices is a computer. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein one or more client devices is a telephone. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein one or more client devices is a portable electronic device. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 32 ,wherein said linkage between said server and said client device is through the internet. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein said user interacts with said database and said computer program product through said client device through web protocols. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein in said representation of said plurality of nodes one or more attributes are associated with one or more of said plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein said computer program product uses said one or more attributes associated with the nodes included in said trust path to refine the indication of trustworthiness provided by said trust path. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein said computer program product uses said one or more attributes to select a subset of said plurality of nodes which along with their connected links comprise a sub-network which becomes the domain for identifying said trust path. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein in said representation of said plurality of links one or more attributes are associated with one or more of said plurality of links. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 ,wherein said computer program product uses said one or more attributes associated with the links included in said trust path to refine the indication of trustworthiness provided by said trust path. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein one of said attributes associated with one or more of the said links included in said trust path represents distrust and provides and explicit indication of lack of trustworthiness for the person associated with the second node of that link. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein said computer program product uses said one or more attributes associated with said one or more links to select a subset of said plurality of links which along with their connected nodes comprise a sub-network which becomes the domain for identifying said trust path. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said computer program product uses the nature of said trust path as at least part of said indication of trustworthiness. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said computer program product uses the nature of said trust path in making said indication of trustworthiness. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said computer program product uses the structure of said network as at least part of said indication of trustworthiness. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said computer program product uses the structure of said network in making said indication of trustworthiness. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 28 , wheren the identity or personal information of the persons associated with at least one of said nodes is masked. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein masking is by using an alias. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein said alias includes a unique personal identifier, a domain name and user name, an email address, or a trade name. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein said alias is provided automatically for temporary use or one-time use. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the identity and personal information of the persons associated with said nodes are masked. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein masking is by using an alias. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein said alias includes a unique personal identifier, a domain name and user name, an email address, or a trade name trade name. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein said alias is provided automatically for temporary use or one-time use. 
     
     
         59 . A system of expanding a representation of a trustworthiness network, the system comprising
 a database, said database including a computer-readable representation of a network, said network representation comprising representations of a plurality of nodes and representations of a plurality of directed links, and representations of the connections of said nodes by said links,
 wherein each node in said plurality of nodes is associated with a person and each link in said plurality of links connects from a first node to a second node, said link being associated with a trusting relationship from a first person associated with said first node to a second person associated with said second node; and wherein said user is associated with at least one node in said plurality of nodes and said persons and their associations with nodes are represented in said database; 
   a computer program product, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:
 input from a person not associated with an existing node in said network at least one alias and other information necessary for security purposes or for analytical purposes or for other purposes; and 
 create a representation of a node associated with said person in said network representation; 
 input from a person associated with an existing first node on said network trustworthiness information for a person associated with an existing second node on said network and other information necessary for security purposes or for analytical purposes or for other purposes; and 
 create a representation a of link between said existing first node associated with said first person and said existing second node associated with said second person, in said network representation, 
 thereby expanding said trust network. 
   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said database resides on a server. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said computer program product resides on said server. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein said one or more client devices are operably linked to said server and said user interacts with said computer program product through said client device. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said database is distributed among a plurality of computers. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said computer program product is distributed among a plurality of computers. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein at least one of said client devices is a computer. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein at least one of said client devices is a telephone. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein at least one said client device is a portable electronic device. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said linkage between said server and said client device is through the internet. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said user interacts with said computer program product through said client device through web protocols.