Related papers: Information Access Equality on Network Generative …
The preferential attachment (PA) process is a popular theory for explaining network power-law degree distributions. In PA, the probability that a new vertex adds an edge to an existing vertex depends on the connectivity of the target…
Social networks affect the diffusion of information, and thus have the potential to reduce or amplify inequality in access to opportunity. We show empirically that social networks often exhibit a much larger potential for unequal diffusion…
People learn about opportunities and actions by observing the experiences of their friends. We model how homophily -- the tendency to associate with similar others -- affects both the endogenous quality and diversity of the information…
Inequalities in social networks arise from linking mechanisms, such as preferential attachment (connecting to popular nodes), homophily (connecting to similar others), and triadic closure (connecting through mutual contacts). While…
Scientific attention is unevenly distributed, creating inequities in recognition and distorting access to opportunities. Using citations as a proxy, we quantify disparities in attention by gender and institutional prestige. We find that…
While homophily -- the tendency to link with similar others -- may nurture a sense of belonging and shared values, it can also hinder diversity and widen inequalities. Here, we unravel this trade-off analytically, revealing homophily traps…
In social networks, a node's position is a form of \it{social capital}. Better-positioned members not only benefit from (faster) access to diverse information, but innately have more potential influence on information spread. Structural…
The spread of information through socio-technical systems determines which individuals are the first to gain access to opportunities and insights. Yet, the pathways through which information flows can be skewed, leading to systematic…
Our societies are heterogeneous in many dimensions such as census, education, religion, ethnic and cultural composition. The links between individuals - e.g. by friendship, marriage or collaboration - are not evenly distributed, but rather…
Individuals' access to information in a social network depends on its distributed and where in the network individuals position themselves. However, individuals have limited capacity to manage their social connections and process…
Professional networks -- the social networks among people in a given line of work -- can serve as a conduit for job prospects and other opportunities. Here we propose a model for the formation of such networks and the transfer of…
The advent of online social networks has facilitated fast and wide spread of information. However, some users, especially members of minority groups, may be less likely to receive information spreading on the network, due to their…
Unveiling individuals' preferences for connecting with similar others (choice homophily) beyond the structural factors determining the pool of opportunities, is a challenging task. Here, we introduce a robust methodology for quantifying and…
Our consumption of online information is mediated by filtering, ranking, and recommendation algorithms that introduce unintentional biases as they attempt to deliver relevant and engaging content. It has been suggested that our reliance on…
Though algorithms promise many benefits including efficiency, objectivity and accuracy, they may also introduce or amplify biases. Here we study two well-known algorithms, namely PageRank and Who-to-Follow (WTF), and show to what extent…
This article investigates the impact of user homophily on the social process of information diffusion in online social media. Over several decades, social scientists have been interested in the idea that similarity breeds connection:…
Competitive information diffusion on large-scale social networks reveals fundamental characteristics of rumor contagions and has profound influence on public opinion formation. There has been growing interest in exploring dynamical…
Homophily, the tendency of individuals to connect with others who share similar attributes, is a defining feature of social networks. Understanding how groups interact, both within and across, is crucial for uncovering the dynamics of…
People's perceptions about the size of minority groups in social networks can be biased, often showing systematic over- or underestimation. These social perception biases are often attributed to biased cognitive or motivational processes.…
People recommender systems may affect the exposure that users receive in social networking platforms, influencing attention dynamics and potentially strengthening pre-existing inequalities that disproportionately affect certain groups. In…