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Published on: June 14, 2019
Absence of influential spreaders in rumor dynamics
Javier Borge-Holthoefer1, Yamir Moreno
1Instituto de Biocomputación y Física de Sistemas Complejos, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain. borge.holthoefer@gmail.com
Summary
In complex networks, coreness does not predict rumor spreading. Instead, a node's k-core index determines if it stops or allows widespread information diffusion.
Area of Science:
- Network Science
- Sociophysics
- Information Diffusion
Background:
- Previous studies suggested coreness, not degree, identifies influential spreaders in complex networks.
- This coreness hypothesis was validated for disease spreading dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of coreness versus degree in rumor spreading models.
- To determine the key topological feature for influential spreaders in social contagion.
Main Methods:
- Extensive computer simulations on real-world network datasets.
- Analysis of rumor spreading dynamics in contrast to disease spreading.
Main Results:
- Node spreading capabilities are independent of their k-core index.
- The k-core index, however, dictates whether a node prevents system-wide rumor diffusion.
Conclusions:
- Coreness is not the primary determinant of influential spreaders in rumor propagation.
- Findings impact sociological studies of contagion and viral marketing strategies.
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