WoT Relays
Web of Trust relays function as a filter mechanism for spam and unwanted replies within your shared Nostr space. The concept is simple. The "follow" action on Nostr can create a network of individuals who are linked to each other, creating a web of people who know each other or who are at least somewhat interested in what each is posting. Web of trust relays leverage these relationships in a rudimentary but effective way, hence the web part of the name. C follows B and B follows A. A and C are able to communicate with each other. None of these follow D, so while D is be able to see and respond to conversations between the others, they will have no indication that D is interjecting, as it lays outside of their web of trust. Hence the term "web". Interconnectedness between users creates open channels of communication between those that are not directly connected based on their write and read relays. The degrees of separation and number of validating connections that are recognized can be defined by the relay operator, or preset within the relay's code.
Though trust may not be the most clear term, it is the most appropriate. The follow action becomes a testament that any particular account is verifiably considered to be important to another user in some way. It could be a bot that provides valuable information, a legitimate good-natured human, a legitimate awful person who someone feels they need to monitor, or an endless variety of other situations. This variance allows for a looser definition of trust than what we think of on a normal basis. We often think of trust in a very limited way that projects expected positive behavior from another. It is a feeling within ourselves that has been validated by an outside factor enough times that an outcome can be predicted with relative accuracy, an easily met expectation. I can trust that Bob will respond to my notes in kind. Also though, I can also trust that Steve will always go off the rails in an angry fit when questioned about his political opinions. Both of these situations demonstrate the nature of trust. The bot that shows me random facts sourced from Wikipedia at the same time everyday, is trusted by me to be reliable. Steve, though politically opinionated, resonates deeply with Bob, who shares those views, though he doesn't partake in those conversations himself. This is how the web of trust is born and built. Despite my lack of interest in most anything Steve may have to say, he is still a member of my trusted network, and Wiki-bot is a member of his. Even though I don't follow Steve, should he decide to have a conversation around a Wiki-bot post, I will still be able to read and talk about the matter with him if I so choose.
To the contrary, when spam attacks happen or a person is intentionally disruptive, no one (or at least very few people) will be willing to follow those accounts. Their notes and replies may be published to big, open relays that function under a loose set of guidelines, or perhaps to their own that they operate independently. If they are not acting as a node in a web of trust, those notes and replies will only be visible to others that are reading from this more restricted form of relay. In its plainest sense, web of trust relays are a protective filter for keeping the Nostr social experience enjoyable. Just as we choose what to say, we can also choose what we want to hear.
WoT relays do have a major limitation, in making it more difficult for new users to break into the web of trust and start socializing among groups that they find interesting. These people are left dependent on anyone who is willing to read from the less strict public relays, in order to begin building their reputation. Currently, there is no shortage of individuals willing to stay connected through public relays, with the exception of times of high spam volumes. As the network grows and new solutions are tested, many other methods will enable new users to be seen within trusted networks. Nostr is still very much in the building and testing phase, but for the time, WoT relays help to keep the existing network useful and enjoyable.
For a list of WoT relays operated by other Nostr users, check [here](https://njump.me/nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzpckv7l8jqspl8u4y54dn9rcduwlrs4v2040nxce0m2h0cunvrj8tqythwumn8ghj7um9v9exx6pwdehhxtn5dajxz7f0qythwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskuep0qqsppcweuzgnnlkk6zzuqvl2573jadl4yasuqfz7z00hkpurfzhu2dsz46yl6) . This is not an official or comprehensive list, and it is subject to change at any time.
To begin operating your own WoT relay, check [this list](https://github.com/search?q=nostr%20wot&type=repositories) for suggestions. There are many other WoT implementations, such as an included service on most paid relays. Also take a look at [Haven](https://github.com/bitvora/haven/blob/master/README.md), which also includes many additional features for media, messaging, and personal storage.
Published to Nostr with untype.app nostr:f3d77c2b787d7d859de22c24292e5e60da2c3715f104cb3a5a497640fa05455c