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.

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 the identity or personal information of the persons associated with at least one of said nodes is masked. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein masking is by using an alias. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said alias includes a unique personal identifier, a domain name and user name, and email address, or a trade name. 
     
     
         20 . 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.