The money doesn't go to the accountability partner. So if they place any value at all on your friendship, why would they do that? There's nothing to gain.
Also:
>I'm not going to put up $250 if I think there's even a 0.0000001% chance the accountability partner will improperly log that I didn't do it.
Really? An expected loss of $0.00000025 bothers you?
It doesn't matter where the money goes to in the end, the only thing that matters is the risk taker loses the money.
There's a very big difference between "internet friend I've known for 4 years and I would consider him a decently close friend" and "I'm willing to hold this guy accountable for $1,000".
I think you guys under estimate at how hard it will be to find an accountability partner who is actually worthy. Your family members will have a bias to not let you lose the money. Really close friends (the people you can trust) might too but the questionably close friends aren't quite trustworthy enough to let them decide on your $500, etc..
>It doesn't matter where the money goes to in the end, the only thing that matters is the risk taker loses the money.
Sure it does. It's the difference between expecting people to behave morally and expecting them to behave in their own rational self-interest. The latter isn't completely reliable, but it's a much, much safer bet than the former.
Safe isn't immune, also people are really strange around money.
What if I set a goal for 2 years from now. Suddenly I'm forced into maintaining a friendship with my accountability partner because if I don't then I run the risk of being blackmailed.
Also:
>I'm not going to put up $250 if I think there's even a 0.0000001% chance the accountability partner will improperly log that I didn't do it.
Really? An expected loss of $0.00000025 bothers you?