Re: Stopping "Bots" and "Fake News"

Hi Adam.

We did a fair bit of work on it here:
https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OPghC4ra6QLhaHhW8QvPJRMKGEXT7KaZtG_7s5-UQrw/edit&ved=0ahUKEwjklK2svtHVAhWBw5QKHWCQBV4QFggnMAE&usg=AFQjCNGWQTNc6pRbu-vkTXbxvQFhrEC_KQ

You'll note my contributions about linked data, et.al.

Thereafter, you'll find a few bits of work around the progress of solutions
in this area here;
https://github.com/schemaorg/schemaorg/issues

A more recent targeted doc i've bene authoring is here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17bdZEN7JLO9pZ9xoZpX-9CrCtaHGPQpRbTd7PnJ1yHM/

And other work (around the future of "web side worlds" and
https://youtu.be/_2271hkn3MA kinda stuff) is also part of the broader
considerations.

Hope that helps.

https://youtu.be/e9vROTibKiE is a piece of my work that I think describes
the problem and some of the elements around solutions very well.



On Sat., 12 Aug. 2017, 5:01 am Timothy Holborn, <timothy.holborn@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Yup.  Creates reputation systems.  The trick is to do so without poorly
> forming solutions as to leave unwanted identity persistence related issues
> whilst also dealing with issues such as censorship appropriately.
>
> Once upon a time the accepted option was that the world was flat. Or that
> the sun travelled around the earth.
>
> It would be a shame if our STEM prevented or made a new type of class
> system between those who are allowed to be treated with dignity and those
> who are not; or some other form of unnecessary cost or subscription or
> lock-in, built in, all wrapped around that balance between identity and
> diversity ;)
>
> Tim.h.
>
> On Sat., 12 Aug. 2017, 4:35 am Adam Sobieski, <adamsobieski@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Credentials Community Group,
>>
>> I would like to broach the role that credentials technologies may play in
>> curtailing “fake accounts”, “bots”, “spam”, “hoaxes” and “fake news”.  I
>> hope to indicate to you the importance of credentials systems and of
>> securing such systems.
>>
>> Consider uses of credentials when creating new accounts or updating
>> existing accounts, e.g. social media. Envision a popup or alert, “this
>> website wants to know your real name.”  With social media, users are
>> expected to presume to authenticity of their fellow users and it makes
>> sense for users to choose to allow the services to access their real names,
>> and possibly dates of birth.
>>
>> “People come to Facebook to make meaningful connections. From the
>> beginning, we’ve believed that can only be possible if the interactions
>> here are authentic – and if people use the names they're known by. We’ve
>> found that when people represent themselves on Facebook the same way they
>> do in real life, they act responsibly. Fake accounts don’t follow this
>> pattern, and are closely related to the creation and spread of spam. That’s
>> why we’re so focused on keeping these inauthentic accounts and their
>> activity off our platform” (
>> https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-security/improvements-in-protecting-the-integrity-of-activity-on-facebook/10154323366590766/).
>> Furthermore, social “bots” play a major role in spreading “fake news” (
>> https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608561/first-evidence-that-social-bots-play-a-major-role-in-spreading-fake-news/
>> ).
>>
>> Credentials and verifiable claims systems are of use in quickly
>> separating real users from “fake accounts” and “bots”.  Credentials should
>> be as easy and intuitive for users to initialize and to configure as
>> installing operating systems or configuring digital wallets.
>>
>> If we get credentials systems right, and secure, we can stop “fake
>> accounts” and “bots” and we can curtail “spam”, “hoaxes” and “fake news” –
>> we can defend digital democracy.
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Adam Sobieski
>> http://www.phoster.com/about/
>> https://www.w3.org/community/argumentation/
>> https://www.w3.org/community/collaboration/
>>
>> P.S.:
>>
>> http://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/2017/07/17/troops-trolls-and-trouble-makers-a-global-inventory-of-organized-social-media-manipulation/
>> (
>> http://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/89/2017/07/Troops-Trolls-and-Troublemakers.pdf
>> )
>>
>> http://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/2017/07/18/spreading-fake-news-becomes-standard-practice-for-governments-across-the-world/
>>
>> http://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/2017/07/18/government-cyber-troops-manipulate-facebook-twitter-study-says/
>> https://www.belfercenter.org/project/defending-digital-democracy
>>
>