Doc Searls Weblog

Next Tuesday, 21 April, at 4 pm Eastern, Judith Donath will speak here at Indiana University and online on The Alchemy of Confidence, addressing the most pressing question in our still-new digital age:

Why do we trust some signals—and fall for others?

She explains,

Deception and honesty have long been locked in evolutionary arms races. From peacock feathers to social media profiles, signals shape how we judge honesty and deception. But when false signals become widespread, trust breaks down—and only signals backed by real cost remain credible.

This talk introduces signaling theory, a powerful framework for understanding:

• Why costly behaviors signal authenticity
• How deception spreads in human communication
• What this means for disinformation and identity in the digital age

How can technologies support trust and when does it undermine it? As rapid technological change reshapes the incentives for deception and detection, understanding the foundations of trust has never been more urgent.

Beyond signals alone, we’ll explore how trust, social systems, and oversight determine what—and who—we believe.

In a time when every AI passes Ye Olde Turing Test, deepfakes can look and sound better than the originals, and adtech trackers follow you everywhere, unseen, watching everything you do, who you do it with, and worse, there is no more important subject to study and master. Judith’s talk will be a great way to start—and to expand your knowledge if you’re on the case already.

Register and find the Zoom link to attend here.