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Extent prediction of the information and influence propagation in online social networks

  • S.I.: Social Cyber-Security
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Abstract

We present a new mathematical model that predicts the number of users informed and influenced by messages that are propagated in an online social network. Our model is based on a new way of quantifying the tie-strength, which in turn considers the affinity and relevance between nodes. We could verify that the messages to inform and influence, as well as their importance, produce different propagation behaviors in an online social network. We carried out laboratory tests with our model and with the baseline models Linear Threshold and Independent Cascade, which are currently used in many scientific works. The results were evaluated by comparing them with empirical data. The tests show conclusively that the predictions of our model are notably more accurate and precise than the predictions of the baseline models. Our model can contribute to the development of models that maximize the propagation of messages; to predict the spread of viruses in computer networks, mobile telephony and online social networks.

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Acknowledgements

This work was carried out by the financing of the Ecuadorian government of President Rafael Correa D. and by FLAMINGO, a Network of Excellence project (318488) supported by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Program and the project TEC2015-71329-C2-2-R (MINECO/FEDER) from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. R.M.O-G. thanks Dr. Joan Serrat Fernández, Dr. Xavier Muñoz and Dr. Josep Fàbrega, professors at the University Polytechnic of Catalonia. Similarly, Dr. Esteban Samaniego Alvarado and PhD student Vladimiro Tobar Solano, professors at Universidad de Cuenca, and the PhD student Lucía Mendez Tapia for the accomplishment of this work.

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  1. Department of Telematics Engineering, Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), C/ Jordi Girona 1-3, Building C3, Campus Nord, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Raúl M. Ortiz-Gaona, Marcos Postigo-Boix & José L. Melús-Moreno

  2. Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de Cuenca, CP 010203, Cuenca, Ecuador

    Raúl M. Ortiz-Gaona

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  1. Raúl M. Ortiz-Gaona
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Ortiz-Gaona, R.M., Postigo-Boix, M. & Melús-Moreno, J.L. Extent prediction of the information and influence propagation in online social networks. Comput Math Organ Theory 27, 195–230 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10588-020-09309-6

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