MAS 965 · Signalling identity
Instructor: Judith Donath

02.26 · deception

readings

• Donath, J. Identity and deception in the virtual community
• Gambetta, D. Deceptive mimicry in humans
• [case] Harmon, A. Amazon Glitch Unmasks War of Reviewers (NYTimes)
• (supplement) E. S. Adams and M. Mesterton-Gibbons (1995) "The cost of threat displays and the stability of deceptive communication" Journal of Theoretical Biology, 175:405-421

assignment

1. Please read the papers listed above.

2. Think about the Amazon case and write an essay answering these questions: How can you reframe it in terms of the signalling model we have discussed. How open to deception is the existing anonymous review process (and what is the form of the deception?) How could the system be redesigned to make deception less prevalent? What would be the additional costs imposed by doing this - and who would be paying them?

Readings are available outside of room 392 - or ask Veronica (lupampa@media.mit.edu)

Please submit the URL of your critique and sketch online by Tuesday evening.