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Characteristics of two polarized groups in online social networks’ controversial discourse

Author

Listed:
  • Amin Mahmoudi

    (Kozminski University)

  • Dariusz Jemielniak

    (Kozminski University)

  • Leon Ciechanowski

    (Kozminski University
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

In today’s interconnected world, online social networks play a pivotal role in facilitating global communication. These platforms often host discussions on contentious topics such as climate change, vaccines, and war, leading to the formation of two distinct groups: deniers and believers. Understanding the characteristics of these groups is crucial for predicting information flow and managing the diffusion of information. Moreover, such understanding can enhance machine learning algorithms designed to automatically detect these groups, thereby contributing to the development of strategies to curb the spread of disinformation, including fake news and rumors. In this study, we employ social network analysis measures to extract the characteristics of these groups, conducting experiments on three large-scale datasets of over 22 million tweets. Our findings indicate that, based on network science measures, the denier (anti) group exhibits greater coherence than the believer (pro) group.

Suggested Citation

  • Amin Mahmoudi & Dariusz Jemielniak & Leon Ciechanowski, 2025. "Characteristics of two polarized groups in online social networks’ controversial discourse," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-31, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jcsosc:v:8:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s42001-024-00350-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s42001-024-00350-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Abhishek Samantray & Paolo Pin, 2019. "Credibility of climate change denial in social media," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-8, December.
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