Tables trust online Tina Guenther / Guido Möllering © 2007 – Preliminary Version: Do not cite without permission!
Table 1: Preconditions of trust online
Realms of
Knowledge Production
interaction
Electronic markets/ (e.g. Wikipedia/ Online Identity management/
Online trading Knowledge-Blogs/ Online relationship management
Preconditions
Open Source Software)
for trust
  
Buyer Author Author
  
Seller Editor Editor
  
Intermediate Reader Reader
Actors
  
[identifiable] Provider Distributor Distributor
  
Regulator Provider Provider
  
Owner/registered member Owner /user Owner /guest
 
(fair) market competition Informal, heterarchical cooperation
  
Reliable information Commonly shared interest in Rewarding social relations
 
Reliable code quality, that is truth, practical use Centrality
Expectations
 
Exchange of goods/ & moral rightness, authenticity (positive) Feedback

service/economic value of content, code and meta data Obtain valuable information
  
Privacy Unrestricted distribution and usage Support/Advice [gift culture]
 
Transparency Support/Advice [gift culture]
  
Deception: Deception: Social damage:
 Ridiculing, rejection, social
– Transaction – Cooperation
– Reputation – Innovation placement as “awkward person”
 Diminishing chances for career
– Indiscretion – Availability
Vulnerability
 Destruction: – User rights advancement
– material
 
– Market Competition Destruction: Personal/pychological damage:
– immaterial
– Reliable information – Vandalism – (loss of) money
– Reliable code – Exploitation [related to – (loss of) time
– Privacy produsage community] – (loss of) confidence
– Transparency & self-esteem

Realms of
interaction
Electronic markets/ Knowledge Production Online Identity management/
Online trading (e.g. Wikipedia/K-Blogs/OSS) Online relationship management
Preconditions
for trust online
 Irreducibility of trust to perfect
 Irreducability of trust to:

software code, rules and procedures. Lack of control over distribution
– Technology
High quality of content, code and and usage of published content,
(reliable code)
Uncertainty
metadata cannot be guaranteed. code and metadata
– Economic calculation
 
Lack of control over distribution and Loss of autonomy
– Control & surveillance

usage of published content, code and Loss of authenticity
– Social norms
metadata
  
Voluntary participation Voluntary participation Voluntary participation
Agency
  
Misuse possible Misuse possible Misuse possible (e.g. Identity theft)
  
Internal (code, formalities, Internal (atmosphere of cooperation Internal (user authority,
rules sanctions) and mutual support/gift culture) unwritten & unspoken rules
 
External (social External (with regard to other and procedures)

norms/netiquette) sources of content, code and External (offline reputation and
Embeddedness
 External (with regard to meta-data). networks of social interaction)
 
economic institutions, state External (with regard to market External (with regard to citizenship,
regulators and legislation) relations, professional associations, religion, marriage, & citizenship and
academic institutions, intellectual state legislation)
property legislation)
Explanation: By this table we seek to explain why trust is a problem in online interaction. Each of the preconditions actors, expectations,
vulnerability, uncertainty, agency and embeddedness must be fulfilled to speak to speak of trust online as a relevant category.
Tina Guenther / Guido Möllering © 2007

Table 2: Elements of trust online
Realms of
interaction
Electronic markets, auctions Knowledge Production Online Identity management and
and online trading (e.g. Wikipedia/K-Blogs/OSS) Online relationship management
Elements
for trust online
 Information and knowledge goods in
 Valuable, complex online identity
the form of content, code & metadata
 Increase scope and diversity of
 
Goods/services Public good (availability, widespread
social relations & memberships
 economic value distribution, unrestricted user rights)
 Practicalities (e.g. passwords)
 
Reputation (e.g. good Practicalities (e.g. in work processes)
Reason
 Reputation (e.g. good blogger)

– utility provider/eBay user) Authority (e.g. object of narratives)
 Authority (e.g. high centrality,
 
– signals Competence Benevolence: reliability, flexibility,
academic degrees, positions)
 Benevolence user-friendliness, identity related
 Benevolence (e.g. comments,
 Integrity information
incoming links & trackbacks)
 High Quality with regard to truth/
 Credibility
teleology, moral rightness, integrity
 Open, controversial discussions
  
Self presentation Quality checks by other produsers Informal, welcoming atmosphere
  
Evaluation/ Rating systems Public discussion & permanent Check incoming comments,
 Complaint systems/FAQ overwork within produser community links/trackbacks
Routine
  
Uniform appearance Documentation of changes: Monitoring visitors/usage patterns??
 
Documentation of activity?? authors, versions, discussion Monitoring personal reputation??
  
Control/surveillance?? Control/surveillance of user behavior Exclusion of users/Restrictions of
 
Sanctions?? Exclusion of users/Restrictions of user user rights in case of norm violations
rights under certain conditions
  
Public records (e.g. media) Transparent rules and procedures Establishing relationships online
Reflexivity
  
– experience History of past transactions Size & Dynamics (e.g. site stats) Number of functioning relationships
  
– learning Exchange of experience History of knowledge productions Exchange of experience
  
Trial and error Mutual support & advice Playful/hetherodox usage patterns

Realms of
interaction
Electronic markets/ Knowledge Production Online Identity management/
Online trading (e.g. Wikipedia/K-Blogs/OSS) Online relationship management
Elements
for trust online
Illusion of fame, public reputation,
Suspension
Illusion of calculable risk Illusion of reciprocity & mutual support improvement of social positioning
[leap of faith]
and impression management
 Happiness beyond project
 Happiness beyond [happiness about positive relations]
 Happiness beyond project [happiness
 Tension when establishing
transaction
about successful cooperation]
Experiencing
 Tension during transaction weblog/complex online identity

[emotions] Tension during cooperation
  Frustration from trolls/
Frustration from
 Frustration from failed cooperations
failed transactions flaming/spam/hacking etc.
 “Online addiction” (??)
With regard to market With regard to scope of activity
With regard to participation in produsage:
participation and economic and degree of authenticity:
transaction:
 Committing
Enacting
 Committing  Committing
 Delivering
 Delivering  Delivering
 Responding
 Responding  Responding
Explanation: Authors interpret trust as a social process between trustor and trustee containing the six elements of reason (utilities; signals),
routine, reflexivity, suspension (leap of faith), experiencing (emotions) and enacting (making trust possible by trusting).
Tina Guenther / Guido Möllering © 2007