Computing with Social Trust

Computing with Social Trust - Jennifer Golbeck

“Computing with Social Trust,” edited by Jennifer Golbeck, is a scholarly collection that explores how the concept of social trust can be understood, modeled, and utilized in computational systems and digital environments. Rather than treating trust solely as a psychological or sociological idea, the book examines formal frameworks and algorithms that allow computers to measure, infer, and apply trust relationships based on social data — especially within online social networks and distributed systems.

The volume brings together contributions from researchers in fields such as computer science, social computing, network analysis, and human–computer interaction. It covers both theoretical foundations — including models of trust propagation, reputation systems, and trust metrics — and practical applications such as recommendation systems, access control mechanisms, information filtering, and trust‑aware services. Contributors discuss how trust can be computed from observable user interactions, friendships, endorsements, or behavioral patterns, and how these computed trust values can improve the quality, personalization, and safety of digital services.