Algorithmic Mechanisms for Reliable Crowdsourcing Computation under Collusion

作者：Anta Antonio Fernandez; Georgiou Chryssis; Mosteiro Miguel A; Pareja Daniel

来源：PLos One, 2015, 10(3): e0116520.

DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0116520

We consider a computing system where a master processor assigns a task for execution to worker processors that may collude. We model the workers' decision of whether to comply (compute the task) or not (return a bogus result to save the computation cost) as a game among workers. That is, we assume that workers are rational in a game-theoretic sense. We identify analytically the parameter conditions for a unique Nash Equilibrium where the master obtains the correct result. We also evaluate experimentally mixed equilibria aiming to attain better reliability-profit trade-offs. For a wide range of parameter values that may be used in practice, our simulations show that, in fact, both master and workers are better off using a pure equilibrium where no worker cheats, even under collusion, and even for colluding behaviors that involve deviating from the game.

• 出版日期2015-3-20