Signal inflation compresses ratings

Many systems that are meant to produce graded signals (ratings, grades, reviews) have shifted from a spectrum to a cull line: top scores become the new baseline and anything below the maximum functions as a de facto penalty. The shift is sustained by incentives—individual actors pay costs for being strict while everyone benefits from informative scales—so the phenomenon replicates across platforms, workplaces and educational settings. — Framing disparate phenomena (Uber stars, grade inflation, performance-review rationing) as a single ‘signal inflation’ dynamic clarifies why credentialing and platform governance problems persist and points to collective‑action solutions.