Analysis of the effectiveness of the truth-spreading strategy for inhibiting rumors

TL;DR

This paper develops and analyzes a mathematical model to evaluate how effectively spreading truthful information can inhibit rumors within social networks, supported by simulations and theoretical criteria.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive URTU model to assess truth-spreading effectiveness and provides criteria for rumor termination influenced by network structures.

Findings

The URTU model accurately predicts rumor dynamics.

Truth-spreading can effectively inhibit rumors under certain conditions.

Simplified models align well with complex rumor-truth interactions.

Abstract

Spreading truths is recognized as a feasible strategy for inhibiting rumors. This paper is devoted to assessing the effectiveness of the truth-spreading strategy. An individual-level rumor-truth spreading model (the generic URTU model) is derived. Under the model, two criteria for the termination of a rumor are presented. These criteria capture the influence of the network structures on the effectiveness of the truth-spreading strategy. Extensive simulations show that, when the rumor or the truth terminates, the dynamics of a simplified URTU model (the linear URTU model) fits well with the actual rumor-truth interplay process. Therefore, the generic URTU model forms a theoretical basis for assessing the effectiveness of the truth-spreading strategy for restraining rumors.