Decentralized Diffusion: Decomposing Information Diffusion in Federated Social Networks

Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, vol. 20, pp. 2676–2688

Abstract

This work examines information diffusion in decentralized social media platforms, specifically on Mastodon due to its federated architecture. Unlike centralized platforms like Twitter, Mastodon distributes content across independently operated yet interconnected servers, known as "instances." In this decentralized environment, inter-instance diffusion plays a critical role in shaping communication patterns. Using a dataset of Mastodon posts, or "toots," related to the Gaza conflict, we analyzed how user-, toot-, and instance-level characteristics drive cross-instance diffusion. Our findings demonstrate that these features collectively shape diffusion, with instance-level characteristics playing a particularly crucial role. This work contributes to the theories of decentralized communication by emphasizing the importance of federated architectures and inter-instance interactions. Practical implications include strategies for platform governance, crisis communication, and misinformation control, with a focus on the potential of decentralized platforms to balance localized interactions with global reach.

Authors 4

1. Li Zeng

   Tilburg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Tilburg University, Netherlands

2. Sijia Ma

   Tilburg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Tilburg University, Netherlands

3. 김세은

   Tilburg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Tilburg University, Netherlands

4. Giulia Sturlese Aachen IUSS Pavia School of Advanced Studies

   Leiden University · Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori di Pavia

   Affiliation as printed

   IUSS Pavia School of Advanced Studies, Italy Leiden University, Netherlands