Modeling the Evolution and Diffusion of a Rumor in a Close-Knit Community

Abstract

In the age of "fake news," society has become increasingly self-aware in its ability to spread and interpret information from within. Today, news spreads at incredibly high rates due to the accessibility and influence of modern communications. Similar viruses, information spreads by infecting susceptible individuals, and over time, it mutates into a completely different infection. However, unlike viruses, there is no vaccine to keep people immune from information, and in fact, people tend to promote transmission. In an effort to capture this phenomena, we've created an agent-based model that simulates the evolution of a rumor throughout a close-knit community. Our simulation tracks the spread of a rumor as well as which pieces are distorted, restored, and lost. Our goal is to understand how environmental factors and individual tendencies affect rumor transmission, evolution, and overall fidelity.