Exploring agent interaction patterns in the comment sections of fake and real news

TL;DR

This study investigates interaction patterns in Reddit comment sections for fake and real news, revealing differences in group formation, sentiment, and stability that can aid early detection of misinformation.

Contribution

It introduces an analysis of agent interaction networks and sentiment dynamics in fake versus real news comments, an area previously underexplored.

Findings

Fake news comments form more groups.

Real news elicits more neutral and positive sentiments.

Sentiment distribution stabilizes early and remains stable.

Abstract

User comments on social media have been recognized as a crucial factor in distinguishing between fake and real news, with many studies focusing on the textual content of user reactions. However, the interactions among agents in the comment sections for fake and real news have not been fully explored. In this study, we analyze a dataset comprising both fake and real news from Reddit to investigate agent interaction patterns, considering both the network structure and the sentiment of the nodes. Our findings reveal that (i) comments on fake news are more likely to form groups, (ii) compared to fake news, where users generate more negative sentiment, real news tend to elicit more neutral and positive sentiments. Additionally, nodes with similar sentiments cluster together more tightly than anticipated. From a dynamic perspective, we found that the sentiment distribution among nodes stabilizes early and remains stable over time. These findings have both theoretical and practical implications, particularly for the early detection of real and fake news within social networks.