A Dual Rumor Spreading Model with Consideration of Fans versus Ordinary People

Abstract

The spread of rumors in online social networks (OSNs) has caused a serious threat to the normal social order. In order to describe the rumor-spreading dynamics in OSNs during emergencies, a novel model with consideration of fans versus ordinary people is proposed in this paper. In contrast to previous studies, we consider the case that two rumors exist simultaneously. It is assumed that one is an entertainment rumor that fans care about, and the other is a common rumor. First, we derive the mean-field equations that describe the dynamics of this dual rumor propagation model and obtain the threshold parameter. Secondly, after finding the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of equilibriums, we examine the equilibrium’s local and global stability. Finally, simulations are used to explain how various parameters affect the process of spreading rumors.