This greatly limits the kind of questions that can be asked.
Another way would be to have different 'authorities'. Each authority can pick which proposed questions are valid for that authority. If someone wishes to place a bet on a question that's been validated by at least one authority, then they get a list of authorities available for that question, and choose which one to use (which may be influenced by whether there are others betting via that authority in the other direction).
Different authorities could use different systems. So one might required the pre-agreed format style, another might use voting to re...
Intrade, the prediction market website, has shutdown. According to their website:
With sincere regret we must inform you that due to circumstances recently discovered we must immediately cease trading activity on www.intrade.com.
These circumstances require immediate further investigation, and may include financial irregularities which in accordance with Irish law oblige the directors to take the following actions:
During the upcoming weeks, we will investigate these circumstances further and determine the necessary course of action.
Here's a link to an article on the slashdot website with more information about it:
http://slashdot.org/topic/bi/intrade-shuts-down-under-murky-circumstances/
Has anyone looked into the feasibility of creating an open source version of something similar, using a distributed application and a microcurrency (such as bitcoin), that couldn't be shutdown?