Ideas inspired by Synapse: Trust and signals
The fundamental innovation behind Synapse is that individuals passively share information about themselves with other users without active and deliberate conversation.
However, there are many other areas of life in which sharing basic information about one’s own activities passively could have major impact. These ideas may lead to applications within Synapse.
Confusion
When blocked by something one does not understand during a learning process or an application of that learning, a signal could be created that allows others to help.
The question is, how could this be done while maintaining the privacy of what one is working on?
This could also potentially work when struggling to use an application in making the confusion real to the creator of that application.
Blockers
When working with a team and blocked behind a particular individual, an analysis of how to get around that block by an AI, and a notification of the individual in question, or that one is blocked, is essential.
Business ideas
Successful business owners see opportunities and have ideas that they don't have time to execute. If these were signaled to the world, and others could execute on them, it would provide great value to the others in question.
Disappointment
When one is disappointed by a purchase, if that signal was sent directly to the creator of the product and the community as a whole, people could make better purchase decisions.
Reputation
If somebody has a good or bad experience with somebody else, if that was automatically calculated and recorded, it could be beneficial to both parties involved. The key is how to make that signal passive.
Good candidate
When a business owner loves the attitude of an individual they can't hire for another reason. It would be great if a signal could be sent that this is a good potential hire, even though the company couldn't hire for other reasons.
Unused assets
Owners often possess tools or resources they rarely utilize. A passive signal indicating an item is currently idle allows neighbors or colleagues to request access without the owner needing to advertise availability.
Shopping AI
Each time a shopping AI is asked to get something from an individual that is unable to find what they're looking for, that's a signal.
Social energy
Individuals have varying capacities for social interaction throughout the day. Broadcasting current social battery levels helps friends know when to reach out and when to offer space.
Itinerary overlap
Travelers frequently miss chances to see friends who happen to be in the same city. Automatic cross-referencing of future travel dates highlights overlaps and prompts meetups.
Project graveyards
Creators frequently abandon side projects that have value. A signal that a project has gone untouched for months invites others to adopt or fork the work.
Tar pit ideas
Businesses frequently try the same provenly bad idea over and over, thinking nobody has tried it before. If there was some way to signal to these business owners that they're headed down a known path of disaster, that would be very valuable.
Content consumption
Readers often struggle to find books that actually resonate. Seeing what trusted peers are actually finishing, rather than just what they claim to like, provides better recommendations.
Philanthropic intent
Donors often want to give but lack a specific cause. A passive signal of a willingness to contribute matches the user with immediate, local needs.
Elements of trust
Discovering hidden information is key to signaling. Often times hidden information can be thought of in terms of trust. If the lender could trust the borrower, he would be more eager to lend. The missing element is a piece of information:
How trustworthy is the borrower?
How competent are they?
How honest are they?
The perfect world analysis
When exploring trust as a signal, one must do so by illustrating a perfect world and seeing how to bring present reality closer to the perfect world.
Trust-based signals
Can I trust the salesman to know if this is the best product for me?
Can I trust that my business partner won't scam me?
Is the investment actually trustworthy?
Can I verify their collateral?