Vulnerability of Text-Matching in ML/AI Conference Reviewer Assignments to Collusions

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Hsieh, Jhih-Yi, Raghunathan, Aditi, Shah, Nihar B.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Hsieh, Jhih-Yi
Raghunathan, Aditi
Shah, Nihar B.
author_facet Hsieh, Jhih-Yi
Raghunathan, Aditi
Shah, Nihar B.
contents In the peer review process of top-tier machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) conferences, reviewers are assigned to papers through automated methods. These assignment algorithms consider two main factors: (1) reviewers' expressed interests indicated by their bids for papers, and (2) reviewers' domain expertise inferred from the similarity between the text of their previously published papers and the submitted manuscripts. A significant challenge these conferences face is the existence of collusion rings, where groups of researchers manipulate the assignment process to review each other's papers, providing positive evaluations regardless of their actual quality. Most efforts to combat collusion rings have focused on preventing bid manipulation, under the assumption that the text similarity component is secure. In this paper, we demonstrate that even in the absence of bidding, colluding reviewers and authors can exploit the machine learning based text-matching component of reviewer assignment used at top ML/AI venues to get assigned their target paper. We also highlight specific vulnerabilities within this system and offer suggestions to enhance its robustness.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_06606
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publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Vulnerability of Text-Matching in ML/AI Conference Reviewer Assignments to Collusions
Hsieh, Jhih-Yi
Raghunathan, Aditi
Shah, Nihar B.
Machine Learning
Cryptography and Security
Digital Libraries
In the peer review process of top-tier machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) conferences, reviewers are assigned to papers through automated methods. These assignment algorithms consider two main factors: (1) reviewers' expressed interests indicated by their bids for papers, and (2) reviewers' domain expertise inferred from the similarity between the text of their previously published papers and the submitted manuscripts. A significant challenge these conferences face is the existence of collusion rings, where groups of researchers manipulate the assignment process to review each other's papers, providing positive evaluations regardless of their actual quality. Most efforts to combat collusion rings have focused on preventing bid manipulation, under the assumption that the text similarity component is secure. In this paper, we demonstrate that even in the absence of bidding, colluding reviewers and authors can exploit the machine learning based text-matching component of reviewer assignment used at top ML/AI venues to get assigned their target paper. We also highlight specific vulnerabilities within this system and offer suggestions to enhance its robustness.
title Vulnerability of Text-Matching in ML/AI Conference Reviewer Assignments to Collusions
topic Machine Learning
Cryptography and Security
Digital Libraries
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.06606