A model for Human-computer trust: A key contribution for leveraging trustful interactions

Abstract

This article addresses trust in computer systems as a social phenomenon, which depends on the type of relationship that is established through the computer, or with other individuals. It starts by theoretically contextualizing trust, and then situates trust in the field of computer science. Then, describes the proposed model, which builds on what one perceives to be trustworthy and is influenced by a number of factors such as the history of participation and user's perceptions. It ends by situating the proposed model as a key contribution for leveraging trustful interactions and ends by proposing it used to serve as a complement to foster user's trust needs in what concerns Human-computer Iteration or Computer- mediated Interactions. Living in an increasingly technology-reliant world has made people more dependent on technology for carrying out everyday activities. This tension has direct implications on how technology influences society's fundamental values. This is reflected in the attempt to develop strategies to provide a more trustworthy digital society and is expressed in the European Commission's agenda for year 2020. (19) While agreeing that we became part of a digital crowd when clearly supporting the development of trust and security technology, we miss the need for focusing on Human- Computer Interaction. In fact by missing this one aspect of trust we might end up creating systems that end up being designed for computers rather than humans. One such example is Google Buzz's failure due to the lack of informing users that their list of contacts is being made public by default, which caused significant criticism leading to undermining user's trust and eventually shutting down the service. (7)