Mitchell Centre Seminar Series
| Dates: | 28 February 2018 |
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| Times: | 16:00 - 17:30 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | School of Social Sciences |
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Lukas Norbutas, Utrecht University
Trust on the Dark Web. Investigating the emergence of trust in online drug marketplaces.
What is the role of trust in illegal online marketplaces and how is trust possible between individuals in an environment with full anonymity, no legal contract enforcement or other guarantees? Rapid growth of the so-called cryptomarkets provides an opportunity for social scientists to analyze fundamental sociological questions related to the emergence of cooperation, in an environment with virtually no centralized authority.
In the project "Trust on the Dark Web", we analyze the main mechanisms that enable trust between buyers and sellers of illegal drugs, and how trust considerations shape these online drug trade networks. We combine regular statistical modeling and social network analysis on data collected from multiple cryptomarket platforms and their discussion forums. We aim to answer questions, such as: how important is sellers' reputation and communication with buyers for their success? What can the structure of online drug trade networks tell us about buyers' behavior? To what extent can cryptomarkets internationalize drug trade, given various risks that market actors have to consider? During our talk, I will present the current findings of the project and discuss potential avenues for further research.
Travel and Contact Information
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A114
Samuel Alexander Building
Manchester
