The Verifier Reputation System
In the old model, authority was granted by institutions.
Journalists worked for newspapers. Researchers worked for universities. Their credibility came from affiliation, not from demonstrated accuracy.
That model is broken.
Institutional trust has collapsed. And in the vacuum, anonymous actors manipulate without accountability. No names. No track records. No consequences for being wrong.
We built something different.
The Core Principle
At Veremet, trust is earned through a transparent track record of accurate, high-quality contributions.
Every Verifier has a Reputation Score. That score reflects:
- The accuracy of their evidence contributions
- The quality of their analytical reasoning
- Their consistency over time
- Community feedback on their work
The score isn't hidden. It's public. It's auditable. And it means something.
How Reputation Works
Starting Out
Every new Verifier starts with a baseline score. You're not penalized for being new—but you haven't proven yourself yet either.
Your initial contributions carry less weight in consensus calculations. This prevents new accounts from immediately influencing verdicts—a common manipulation vector on other platforms.
Building Trust
Reputation increases through:
Accurate Evidence Submission When you submit evidence that gets verified and incorporated into dossiers, your score improves. Primary sources count more than secondary. Novel discoveries count more than duplicates.
Quality Analysis When you provide analytical commentary that helps others understand evidence, the community can endorse your contributions. Endorsements from high-reputation Verifiers carry more weight.
Long-Term Consistency One accurate contribution is nice. Hundreds of accurate contributions over months and years is meaningful. We weight consistency heavily because it's the hardest thing to fake.
Successful Challenges If you challenge an existing consensus and subsequent evidence proves you right, that's a significant reputation boost. Contrarian accuracy is valuable.
Losing Trust
Reputation decreases through:
Inaccurate Submissions Evidence you submit that gets debunked or contradicted harms your score. We understand that honest mistakes happen—isolated errors aren't catastrophic. Patterns of inaccuracy are.
Manipulation Attempts Gaming the system—coordinated voting, sock puppets, spam—results in severe penalties. We have detection systems. They work.
Harassment or Bad Faith Ad hominem attacks, doxxing, or deliberate misinformation result in suspension or permanent removal. This isn't a free speech platform. It's a truth-seeking utility.
The Maven Pathway
Not all Verifiers are equal. Those who demonstrate exceptional commitment and accuracy can achieve Maven status.
What is a Maven?
A Maven is a Verifier who has:
- Maintained a top-tier reputation score for at least 6 months
- Contributed at least 100 verified evidence items
- Received positive endorsements from at least 20 other Verifiers
- Passed our identity verification process
- Agreed to make their profile public
Why Public Profiles?
This is important: Mavens are not anonymous.
We believe that significant influence requires accountability. Anonymous accounts can contribute evidence. They can vote. They can participate in discussions.
But to achieve Maven status—to have your analysis weighted heavily in consensus calculations—you must be willing to stand behind your work with your real identity.
This creates skin in the game. Mavens can't hide behind pseudonyms if they're wrong. Their reputations are on the line.
Maven Privileges
Mavens have expanded capabilities:
- Priority Review: Their analyses are featured prominently
- Consensus Weight: Their votes carry more influence
- Hosting Investigations: They can initiate and lead major investigations
- Mentorship: They can vouch for promising new Verifiers
- Early Access: They see new features before general release
The Accountability Trade-off
Some people object to the public profile requirement. "Why should I have to reveal my identity to have influence?"
The answer is: because anonymous power is the problem we're solving.
The internet is full of anonymous accounts with enormous reach and zero accountability. They can spread misinformation with no consequences. They can manipulate without their conflicts of interest being known.
We're building the opposite. Influence comes with visibility. Power comes with responsibility.
If you want to remain anonymous, you can. But you accept that your contributions will be weighted accordingly.
Transparency in the System
Your Score is Visible
You can see your own reputation score at any time, along with a detailed breakdown of what's contributing to it.
Others Can See Your History
When evaluating evidence, Verifiers can see the contributor's track record. "This person has submitted 50 pieces of verified evidence" is information that helps you evaluate their current contribution.
Disputes Are Public
If your reputation changes due to a moderation decision, you can see why. If you dispute it, that dispute process is logged.
The Algorithm is Documented
We publish the methodology for reputation calculation. Not the specific weights (that would invite gaming), but the factors and logic. You can understand how the system works.
Preventing Manipulation
Every reputation system is a target for manipulation. Here's how we defend against common attacks:
Sybil Attacks (Fake Accounts)
Multiple fake accounts created to boost reputation. Defense: Identity verification for high-influence actions, behavioral analysis to detect coordinated activity.
Brigading
Coordinated groups trying to mass-endorse or mass-downvote. Defense: Velocity detection, cluster analysis, weighting by reputation and independence.
Reputation Laundering
Building reputation in low-stakes areas to spend it on high-stakes manipulation. Defense: Domain-specific reputation tracking, anomaly detection for sudden topic shifts.
Gaming Through Obvious Truths
Building reputation by only confirming things everyone already knows. Defense: Novelty weighting—confirming established consensus contributes less than surfacing new evidence.
No system is perfect. But we believe transparency plus constant improvement is better than opacity plus stagnation.
Join the Verifiers
The reputation system is live. Every contribution you make starts building your track record.
Be accurate. Be consistent. Be willing to stand behind your work.
The path to Maven status is open to everyone willing to walk it.
Be curious again.