Instant Messaging as a Scale-Free Network

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the topology of instant messaging networks, revealing their scale-free nature and discussing implications for social network structure and security.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of instant messaging network topology with random graphs, highlighting its scale-free properties and potential security implications.

Findings

Instant messaging networks exhibit scale-free topology.

Compared network statistics with those of random graphs.

Implications for social network structure and security are discussed.

Abstract

The topology of an instant messaging system is described. Statistical measures of the network are given and compared with the statistics of a comparable random graph. The scale-free character of the network is examined and implications are given for the structure of social networks and instant messenger security.