Misinformation Dynamics in Social Networks

Jeff Murugan

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arXiv · 2511.18733

Misinformation Dynamics in Social Networks

Jeff Murugan

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Abstract

Information transmitted across modern communication platforms is degraded not only by intentional manipulation (disinformation) but also by intrinsic cognitive decay and topology-dependent social averaging (misinformation). We develop a continuous-fidelity field theory on multiplex networks with distinct layers representing private chats, group interactions, and broadcast channels. Our analytic solutions reveal three universal mechanisms controlling information quality: (i) groupthink blending, where dense group coupling drives fidelity to the initial group mean; (ii) bridge-node bottlenecks, where cross-community flow produces irreversible dilution; and (iii) a network-wide fidelity landscape set by a competition between broadcast truth-injection and structural degradation pathways. These results demonstrate that connectivity can reduce information integrity and establish quantitative control strategies to enhance fidelity in large-scale communication systems.

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physics.soc-ph cs.IT econ.TH hep-th math.IT

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Jeff Murugan. 2025-11-24. Misinformation Dynamics in Social Networks. https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.18733

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