Modeling Social Cascade in the Flickr Social Network

Abstract

We investigate social cascades, or how information propagation through social links in the online social networks. Based on the analysis of one of the largest available datasets collected from Flickr social network in detail, we shed light on the propagation pattern and cascade characteristic of the photos over the Flickr social network, We also apply a simple conceptual model that mimics the spread and dissemination of information on the Flickr social network, and produces information cascades very similar to those found in real network. With a single threshold parameter, this model can predict whether a photo will flourish or flounder in the network. Some interesting findings of the social linking and information propagation structure are also reported in this paper.