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Computer Science @ Rochester
Monday, February 23, 2009
11:00 AM
Computer Studies Bldg. Room 209
Lars Backstrom
Cornell University
Understanding and Modeling Properties of Social Networks
Social networks have always been an integral part of people's lives. Until recently, these networks have remained hidden, or been exposed only on very small scales, where it is impossible to deduce more general trends. With the advent of websites like Facebook and MySpace, however, we can begin to develop models of social networks which capture the trends governing the growth and evolution of these networks. With rich datasets from multiple networks, we are now able to glean general principles which give us insight into the nature of social networks.

In this talk I will discuss two questions related to our understanding of social networks. First, I will look at some of the principles related to the formation of new edges in social networks. Using data from a number of sources, we can quantify the effects of various factors on whether or not a new edge will form. Second, I will look at the growth of explicitly declared communities in networks. I will discuss how the evolution of these communities relates to the properties of the underlying social network. I will wrap up my talk by discussing some of the thorny privacy issues surrounding the study of these networks.

Refreshments will be provided at 10:45