A peer-to-peer multidimensional trust model for digital ecosystems

The aim of the Digital Ecosystem (DE) initiative is to encourage Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to use the Internet and to adopt ICT technologies that would make them more innovative and competitive in the market. In order for a DE to take-off, specific solutions are required that are practical and easy to adopt, and that address the organizational and infrastructural particularities of the networked communities. This paper proposes a new trust model for DEs which has several innovative features. The model is based on the concept of social networks and addresses trust at different levels: user, data, service and node. The model allows fast bootstrapping of trust by importing existing trust relationships from outside DE systems and by relying on certificates issued by trusted authorities external to the DE. Furthermore, trust can be measured in a variety of contexts by using user-defined tags-folksonomy². The model abstracts from specific reputation algorithms by providing necessary interfaces for plugging-in those on onepsilas own choice.