Srated

Srated is a theoretical rating framework and accompanying software ecosystem designed to evaluate the quality and trustworthiness of digital content, services, and products. It provides a standardized approach to quantify attributes such as accuracy, reliability, transparency, security, and accessibility, enabling comparability across platforms and domains. The name Srated is derived from Standards-based Rating and Evaluation, and the framework is intended to be open and extensible for adoption by diverse industries.

The concept originated from a collaborative effort among researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers in the early 2020s. The Srated Consortium published the initial specification in 2022, outlining core data models, rating scales, and governance principles. An open-source reference implementation and data model followed, with several marketplaces and educational platforms piloting the system to assess practicality and impact.

Technical framework: Srated defines data models for items and their associated ratings, where each rating includes a category, a numeric value, a timestamp, and reviewer metadata. Ratings are expressed on standardized scales (typically 0–5) with optional weighting for categories to reflect domain-specific importance. The framework emphasizes interoperability, leveraging JSON-LD and alignment with existing web standards such as Schema.org. It supports provenance tracking, versioning, and dispute resolution workflows to preserve transparency and accountability.

Adoption and reception: Proponents argue that Srated can improve transparency and consumer trust, while critics caution about potential biases in reviewer selection and the need for robust governance. Implementations vary from domain-specific evaluators to cross-market aggregations and adopt different levels of rigor.

See also: Rating system, Evaluation framework, Open standards.