Information diffusion epidemics in social networks

Details Information diffusion epidemics in social networks Information diffusion epidemics in social networks

2007-06-05

arxiv.org/abs/0706.0641v1

Physical Review Letters 103, 038702 (2009)

Physics

Physics and Society

12 pages, 7 figures and 1 table

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.038702

The dynamics of information dissemination in social networks is of paramount importance in processes such as rumors or fads propagation, spread of product innovations or "word-of-mouth" communications. Due to the difficulty in tracking a specific information when it is transmitted by people, most understanding of information spreading in social networks comes from models or indirect measurements. Here we present an integrated experimental and theoretical framework to understand and quantitatively predict how and when information spreads over social networks. Using data collected in Viral Marketing campaigns that reached over 31,000 individuals in eleven European markets, we show the large degree of variability of the participants' actions, despite them being confronted with the common task of receiving and forwarding the same piece of information. This have a profound effect on information diffusion: Firstly, most of the transmission takes place due to super-spreading events which would be considered extraordinary in population-average models. Secondly, due to the different way individuals schedule information transmission we observe a slowing down of the spreading of information in social networks that happens in logarithmic time. Quantitative description of the experiments is possible through an stochastic branching process which corroborates the importance of heterogeneity. Since high variability of both the intensity and frequency of human responses are found in many other activities, our findings are pertinent to many other human driven diffusion processes like rumors, fads, innovations or news which has important consequences for organizations management, communications, marketing or electronic social communities.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Information diffusion epidemics in social networks does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Information diffusion epidemics in social networks, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information diffusion epidemics in social networks will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-122311