On optimal link creation for facilitation of consensus in social networks

Makan Fardad, Fu Lin, Mihailo R. Jovanovic

Research output: Chapter in Book/Entry/PoemConference contribution

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

We consider the problem of reaching consensus in a social network of agents described by the DeGroot model. We develop a measure for the efficiency with which consensus is reached, where the measure quantifies the transient behavior of public opinion around the consensus value. We then propose an optimization problem that maximizes consensus-reaching efficiency via the creation of new social links, subject to a total link-creation budget. We employ the alternating direction method of multipliers, an algorithm well-suited to large optimization problems, to find the optimal location and weights of the new links. We demonstrate the utility of our results through an example, where we observe that for a social network described by a regular graph the addition of new links leads to an augmented graph that resembles a small-world network characterized by sparse long-range links.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2014 American Control Conference, ACC 2014
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages3790-3795
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)9781479932726
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Event2014 American Control Conference, ACC 2014 - Portland, OR, United States
Duration: Jun 4 2014Jun 6 2014

Publication series

NameProceedings of the American Control Conference
ISSN (Print)0743-1619

Other

Other2014 American Control Conference, ACC 2014
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPortland, OR
Period6/4/146/6/14

Keywords

  • Alternating direction method of multipliers
  • DeGroot model
  • consensus
  • opinion dynamics
  • optimization
  • small-world networks
  • social networks
  • sparsity
  • stochastic matrices

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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