Ok this will not definitely make the trust system better but I could say it will be the first step to correct it.
My proposal is simple : make side to side the default trusting and a new one.
1- Centralised trust aka default trust : like everyone knows...
2- Decentralised/personalised trust : where everyone is asked to add & exclude members =~creating something similar to default trust (with people in depth 1...etc)
So we will have then something similar to this under our avatar :
PTrust: 1: -0 / +1 (personalised trust)
DTrust: 0: -0 / +0 (default trust)
A transition period could be determined or both could be kept.
I personally didn't want to do anything to my trust settings, i prefer to have the DT all the time.
-just a suggestion and I will pass-
Update :
Well I am literally trying to find a solution and will write what my mind told me.
- Every user will start with a variable X points.
- Adding a member to your network => he will receive an equivalent of your X points.
- Removing him then he will loose the points that you already gave it to him.
- Excluding him and he will loose an equivalent of your X points.
So PT (personalised trust) score will be like this = your X points plus number of received X points from others adding you minus number of received X points from others excluding you.
For example :
User1 has initially 5 points.
User2 has initially 10 points.
User3 has initially 25 points.
User2 trusts user1, user3 excluded user1 then the final score of user1 will be Total (T) = 5 + 10 - 25 = -10.
PT: T : - number of negative feedbacks / + number of positive feedbacks
=> T is independent from feedbacks, it is related to how many people trusting you.
- X is calculated considering your activity (A), positive trade comments in your trust (T), number of reported posts (Rp) and received smerit (Sm) +/- negative trust feedbacks/proven scam (N/S).
A = +1 point for every 100 activity (1 point if less than 100, 2 points from 100 to 199...)
T = +2 point for every 5 successful/positive trade comments when implementing the system (1 points if less than 5, 2 points from 5 to 9 then 4 points from 10 to 14...) [it has to be verified manually by sending a pm to a dedicated staff member for this and feedback about scam, cheat, abuse do not count]
Rp = +1 for every 100 reported post (1 point if less than 100, 2 points from 100 to 199...)
Sm = +1 point for every 50 received smerit when implementing the system (1 point if less than 50, 2 points from 50 to 99...)
N/S = 1 or 0. 0 if the user is a proven scammer. 1 if not. +/- means this proposition could be considered.
X= A * T * RP * Sm (* N/S +/-)
X is somehow a score that will permit to classify users in this forum independently from DT system. It shows your weight in the forum and this score is calculated only once when the system will be implemented and cannot be modified.
Well the number of points could be obviously modified and even implementing 1/2 or 1/4 could be done.