EchoShield : Understanding Structural Hole Spanners to Mitigate Echo Chambers

Thirumalareddy Sudheshna Reddy, P Chaitanya Shesha Govind, Nakka Sai Sankar, Maloth Rajashekar, Roshni Chakraborty, Flavio Bertini

Keywords: echo chambers, online social networks, structural hole, opinion dynamics model, polarization

Abstract: In the digital world today, online social networks have completely changed how people communicate, form connections, and share information. While social media platforms provide ample opportunities for connections, they can also lead to divisiveness among the users, such as the formation of echo chambers. An \textit{echo chamber} is a virtual environment where a person is only exposed to information and opinions that confirm their existing beliefs. In this initial study, we propose a simulation study that considers different aspects of user profile and user behavior and presence of structural holes to identify the susceptibility and prevention of echo chambers.

Submission Number: 1