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Social networks and collective intelligence
          A return to the Agora

               Manuel Mazzara
         UNU-IIST and Newcastle University




              20/06/2012, Cambridge
A Fantastic New Era…
... and an Old Problem Made Worse


                Trustworthy?
  Newsworthy?
                               Relevant?
Traditional Media Gatekeeping



World                           Audience
Power of Media



     “There are no facts,
     only interpretations”

     (Friedrich Nietzsche)




23/10/12                     5
Power of Illusion




                    6
Overcoming Gatekeeping ?

Internet offers an open platform where users can
       interactively exchange information

                     News is multimedia, multi-dimensional,
                      timely/timeless
                     The user can control relevance
                     The user is able to choose topics, sources …
                     The user can interact with authors, other
                      readers/followers …




                                                                7
Traditional/New Media Synopsis
                     Traditional   Search engines   Social networks
                       media
Relevance/presence Decided by      Decided by the   Decided by the
of the news           the            algorithm        network
                   publisher

Interaction /        Not allowed    Not allowed        Possible
feedback
Topic                Decided by    Decided by the   Decided by the
Content                 the             user          network
                     publisher
Expand topic         Not allowed      Allowed          Allowed
Deciding Source      Not allowed      Allowed          Allowed
Individual (trust-     Absent         Absent            Absent
based) ranking
We will either find a way, or make one ...

”Aut inveniam viam aut faciam”
Maslow’s Law of the Instrument


   ”It is tempting, if the only
   tool you have is a hammer,
   to treat everything as if it
   were a nail.”

   - H. Maslow, The Psychology of
   Science:A Reconnaissance.
   Harper & Row, 1966




23/10/12                            10
Goals of Polidoxa

 Create a virtual agora where people can freely discuss and exchange
  information

 More control over the news/information

  Think
  Inform
  Verify
  Interact
  Take an active role
  Make more informed decisions
Polidoxa: ranking algorithm

The core ranking parameters:

 configurable static parameters
    trustworthiness of contacts (decided by the user)
    trustworthiness of sources/domains… (by the user)

 Dynamic Parameters
    depending on network activities and contact’s distance
    evaluate (among other things) “like” and “dislike”
       many “like” for a post is and indication of how your
         network perceives it
Trustworthyness and ranking



www.page-x.com     4          News from z



www.page-z.com     6          News from x



www.page-y.com     3           News from y
Synopsis Continued

                               Polidoxa
Relevance of the news          Decided by the user

Interaction / feedback         Allowed

Topic                          Decided by the user and
content                        his/her network

Expand topic                   Allowed
Deciding Source                Allowed

Individual trust-based ranking Possible
Be creative when solving problems, use your
    right brain hemisphere more often!
Joint work with:
           Antonio Marraffa
             Luca Biselli
          Simona De Nicola
           Luca Chiarabini
        Georgios Papageorgiou
           Pier Paolo Greco
            Nafees Qamar
Cambridge 20 06 2012

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Cambridge 20 06 2012

  • 1. Social networks and collective intelligence A return to the Agora Manuel Mazzara UNU-IIST and Newcastle University 20/06/2012, Cambridge
  • 3. ... and an Old Problem Made Worse Trustworthy? Newsworthy? Relevant?
  • 5. Power of Media “There are no facts, only interpretations” (Friedrich Nietzsche) 23/10/12 5
  • 7. Overcoming Gatekeeping ? Internet offers an open platform where users can interactively exchange information  News is multimedia, multi-dimensional, timely/timeless  The user can control relevance  The user is able to choose topics, sources …  The user can interact with authors, other readers/followers … 7
  • 8. Traditional/New Media Synopsis Traditional Search engines Social networks media Relevance/presence Decided by Decided by the Decided by the of the news the algorithm network publisher Interaction / Not allowed Not allowed Possible feedback Topic Decided by Decided by the Decided by the Content the user network publisher Expand topic Not allowed Allowed Allowed Deciding Source Not allowed Allowed Allowed Individual (trust- Absent Absent Absent based) ranking
  • 9. We will either find a way, or make one ... ”Aut inveniam viam aut faciam”
  • 10. Maslow’s Law of the Instrument ”It is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” - H. Maslow, The Psychology of Science:A Reconnaissance. Harper & Row, 1966 23/10/12 10
  • 11. Goals of Polidoxa  Create a virtual agora where people can freely discuss and exchange information  More control over the news/information  Think  Inform  Verify  Interact  Take an active role  Make more informed decisions
  • 12. Polidoxa: ranking algorithm The core ranking parameters:  configurable static parameters  trustworthiness of contacts (decided by the user)  trustworthiness of sources/domains… (by the user)  Dynamic Parameters  depending on network activities and contact’s distance  evaluate (among other things) “like” and “dislike”  many “like” for a post is and indication of how your network perceives it
  • 13. Trustworthyness and ranking www.page-x.com 4 News from z www.page-z.com 6 News from x www.page-y.com 3 News from y
  • 14. Synopsis Continued Polidoxa Relevance of the news Decided by the user Interaction / feedback Allowed Topic Decided by the user and content his/her network Expand topic Allowed Deciding Source Allowed Individual trust-based ranking Possible
  • 15. Be creative when solving problems, use your right brain hemisphere more often!
  • 16. Joint work with: Antonio Marraffa Luca Biselli Simona De Nicola Luca Chiarabini Georgios Papageorgiou Pier Paolo Greco Nafees Qamar

Editor's Notes

  1. Situational analysis Traditional media: Publishers and the mass media determine what information is relevant, determines position, length Internet offers an open platform where users can exchange information Search engines like Googlenews, Yahoo define relevance by popularity, source credibility; allow only some user control (themes, country) Social Media Problem
  2. Internet offers an open platform where users can exchange information