2024/08/23 by Samana Pranesh, Pranesh, Samana, Sayan Gupta +1 · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #FOS: Physical sciences #Physics and Society (physics.soc-ph) #Social Media and Politics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2408.12877
openalex publication_date 2024/08/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The advent of social media platforms has revolutionized information consumption patterns, with individuals frequently engaging in these platforms for social interactions. This trend has fostered an environment where people gravitate towards information that aligns with their preconceived notions, leading to the formation of echo chambers and polarization within the society. Recently introduced activity-driven models have been successful in capturing the dynamics of information propagation and polarization. The present study uses this model to explore the impact of social media on a polarized society. By considering the varying influence of media, ranging from exposing individuals to contradictory views to reinforcing existing opinions, a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation is observed, triggering a transition from consensus to polarization. The transition points from polarization to consensus are derived analytically and is validated through numerical simulations. This research sheds light on the complex interplay between social media dynamics and societal polarization.