Fake news fission: Nuclear model explains how rumors split, spread like atoms

A team from Shandong Normal University has created a novel model for rumor propagation, drawing inspiration from nuclear reactions. This new approach offers fresh perspectives on the mechanisms behind online disinformation spread and potential strategies to combat it.

Mathematical models are often employed to simulate rumor dissemination, guiding efforts to counteract misinformation. These models typically adopt principles from epidemic modeling, where rumors are treated like contagious microbes.

Although these models are broadly useful, they often fail to fully capture the complexities of how misinformation spreads.

“Infectious disease models may mostly view the spread of rumors as a passive process of receiving infection, thus ignoring the behavioral and psychological changes of people in the real world, as well as the impact of external events on the spread of rumors,” said author Wenrong Zheng.

The nuclear fission model

The ease with which false or misleading information can now spread online is unprecedented. The internet’s anonymous and impersonal nature, coupled with advanced tools like artificial intelligence , allows bad actors to manipulate the truth easily, making it difficult for others to distinguish between reality and fiction.

In this modern era of disinformation, understanding the mechanisms of how falsehoods and rumors propagate is essential for effective countermeasures.

Departing from traditional infection models, the team drew parallels between rumor propagation and nuclear fission, the reaction that occurs in nuclear reactors.

In their model, rumors function like neutrons, the particles that initiate nuclear fission. As individuals encounter these rumors, they pass them on to others, creating a chain reaction of misinformation spread.

“When individuals encounter rumors, they are influenced by their personal interests and decide whether to spread or whether repeated exposure is needed before spreading,” said Zheng.

“Based on different considerations of uranium fission thresholds, individuals are divided into groups based on the influence of their own interest thresholds, fully considering individual behavior and differences, which is more in line with the reality.”

Combating disinformation

This novel perspective on rumor propagation can shed light on the patterns of rumor spread and offer strategies for individuals to mitigate their effects. According to Zheng , “The extent of rumor propagation is closely related to the proportion of rational internet users.”

“This reflects the importance of education: the higher the level of education, the easier it is to question rumors when receiving information that is difficult to distinguish between right and wrong.”

The subject is thrown into even sharper contrast when we factor in the role of AI. In a recent study , researchers at the University of Waterloo systematically evaluated an early version of ChatGPT’s comprehension of statements across six categories: facts, conspiracies, controversies, misconceptions, stereotypes, and fiction. They found that GPT-3 often made errors, contradicted itself within a single response, and repeated harmful misinformation.

The approach outlined by Zheng can also assist governments and media experts in their efforts to counter misinformation. “Our findings show that rumors initially spread on a small scale, indicating the need for real-time monitoring by official platforms,” explained Zheng.

“When potential rumors are detected, the government or official media should verify the content and provide corrections. This enables rational citizens to effectively suppress the spread of rumors.”

This study was published in AIP Advances .