A Model for Information Networks: Efficiency, Stability and Dynamics

Abstract: We introduce a simple network model that is inspired by social information networks such as twitter. Agents are nodes, connecting to another agent by building a directed edge has a cost, and reaching other agents via short directed paths has a benefit; in effect, an agent wants to reach others quickly, but without the cost of directly connecting each and every one. Even in its simplest form, edges in this framework are neither substitutes or complements in general; hence, standard techniques are required to study the model's properties and dynamics do not apply. We prove that an asynchronous edge dynamics always converge to a stable network; in fact, for this convergence is fast for a range of parameters. Moreover, the set of stable networks are nontrivial and can support the type of network structures that have been observed to appear in social information networks -- from community clusters to broadcast networks, depending on the parameters many natural formations can emerge. We further study the static game, and give classes of stable and efficient networks for nontrivial parameter ranges. We close several problems, and leave many interesting ones open.