Study Reveals How Social Networks Influence the Spread of Ideas and Misinformation

Researchers explore the dynamics of human-interaction networks to understand the transmission of ideas and diseases.

Nicholas Landry's research focuses on the role of social networks in spreading both diseases and ideas.
The study uses data from the COVID-19 pandemic to develop models that analyze social connections and contagion mechanisms.
Findings indicate that less infectious diseases like COVID-19 are easier to track through network reconstruction.
Highly viral trends and misinformation may be more precisely tracked than some diseases, offering insights into information spread.
The research suggests that understanding social network structures can enhance efforts to manage contagion and misinformation.