Stylometric Identification in Electronic Markets: Scalability and Robustness.

Author List: Abbasi, Ahmed; Chen, Hsinchun; Nunamaker, Jr., Jay F.;
Journal of Management Information Systems, 2008, Volume 25, Issue 1, Page 49-78.
Online reputation systems are intended to facilitate the propagation of word of mouth as a credibility scoring mechanism for improved trust in electronic marketplaces. However, they experience two problems attributable to anonymity abuse--easy identity changes and reputation manipulation. In this study, we propose the use of stylometric analysis to help identify online traders based on the writing style traces inherent in their posted feedback comments. We incorporated a rich stylistic feature set and developed the Writeprint technique for detection of anonymous trader identities. The technique and extended feature set were evaluated on a test bed encompassing thousands of feedback comments posted by 200 eBay traders. Experiments conducted to assess the scalability (number of traders) and robustness (against intentional obfuscation) of the proposed approach found it to significantly outperform benchmark stylometric techniques. The results indicate that the proposed method may help militate against easy identity changes and reputation manipulation in electronic markets.
Keywords: anti-aliasing; electronic markets; online trust; stylometry
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#202 0.185 online uncertainty reputation sellers buyers seller marketplaces markets marketplace buyer price signaling auctions market premiums ebay transaction reverse literature comments
#259 0.162 identity norms identification symbolic community help sense european social important verification set identities form obtained properties deterioration mixed match emphasis
#84 0.141 electronic markets commerce market new efficiency suppliers internet changes marketplace analysis suggests b2b marketplaces industry examine easy product making physical
#7 0.125 detection deception assessment credibility automated fraud fake cues detecting results screening study detect design indicators science important theory performance improved
#147 0.105 process problem method technique experts using formation identification implicit analysis common proactive input improvements identify traditional stages identifying explicit setting
#9 0.058 using subjects results study experiment did conducted task time used experienced use preference experimental presented decision-making empirical significantly effects better
#44 0.057 approach analysis application approaches new used paper methodology simulation traditional techniques systems process based using proposed method present provides various
#30 0.053 market trading markets exchange traders trade transaction financial orders securities significant established number exchanges regulatory structures order traditional stock provides
#208 0.051 feedback mechanisms mechanism ratings efficiency role effective study economic design potential economics discuss profile recent component granularity turn compared using