On the spreading and localization of risky information in social networks

We propose a model for the localization of risky information in social (scale free) networks where we assume that risky information can propagate only between “mutually trusted nodes” (MTN). We propose an algorithm to construct the MTN network and show that there is a critical value m¯c>2 of trusted nodes below which information localizes. This critical value increases drastically if a fraction p of nodes does not transfer information at all. We study the fraction of initial messengers needed to inform a desired fraction of the network as a function of the average number of trusted nodes m¯ and discuss possible applications of the model also to marketing and to the spreading of a disease with very short incubation time.