Online False Information Validation Using Attestation Tokens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distribution of false information online compromises user privacy and hinders content distribution, with existing systems struggling to validate and aggregate user reports of false information efficiently while protecting user privacy and preventing fraudulent reporting.
Innovation Solution
A system using crowdsourcing to validate false digital component alerts through attestation tokens, ensuring that reports are verified by users who have actually viewed and interacted with the content, and aggregating these alerts to trigger mitigation responses, such as warnings or halting distribution, while preserving user privacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If user reports of false information are collected without validation, then the system can aggregate more reports, but fraudulent reporting and false alerts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation of user reports by checking attestation tokens before aggregating them. This preliminary action filters out fraudulent reports and false alerts, ensuring only legitimate reports are processed while maintaining the quantity of valid reports.
Solution Approach 2:
Attestation tokens serve as an intermediary mechanism between users and the aggregation system. These tokens verify that users have actually viewed and interacted with the content, mediating the trust between report submitters and the system while preventing fraudulent reporting.
2Productivity
If all user alerts are processed without validation, then processing volume increases, but resources are wasted on illegitimate alerts
Solution Approach 1:
The system validates alerts using attestation tokens before processing them further. This preliminary validation step filters out illegitimate alerts early, reducing the processing volume of meaningful alerts while avoiding resource waste on fraudulent reports.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and removes illegitimate alerts from the processing pipeline through validation. By taking out false alerts before they enter the aggregation and processing stages, the system reduces unnecessary computational resources spent on invalid data.
3Reliability
If user privacy is protected by not storing report data, then user privacy is maintained, but the system cannot verify report legitimacy
Solution Approach 1:
Attestation tokens act as intermediaries that enable verification of report legitimacy without storing user privacy data. The tokens contain encrypted information about user interaction with content, allowing verification while maintaining privacy through cryptographic protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces direct storage and processing of user data with a cryptographic verification mechanism. Instead of storing user report data for verification, the system uses attestation tokens with digital signatures that can be verified without exposing user privacy information.
4Area of stationary object
If false information is distributed widely, then content reach increases, but false information spread deteriorates user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where validated false alerts trigger mitigation responses. This feedback loop allows the system to detect false information patterns and respond by reducing distribution of false content while maintaining legitimate content reach through continuous monitoring and adjustment.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for combating false advertising using crowdsourcing. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a false digital component alert indicating that a digital component presented at a client device includes false information, validating the false digital component alert based on a public key to verify digital signature included in the false digital component alert matching the public key of stored attestation tokens specifying presentation and interaction data for the digital component. In response, adding the false digital component alert to an aggregated report. Based on a false alert ratio, determining that a magnitude of validated false digital component alerts in the aggregated report meets a threshold, and triggering a false digital component mitigation response including providing a false information warning with the false digital component to one or more client devices or digital component provider.