Information Diffusion or Deviation? An Exponential Random Graph Model of Activism Against Discrimination on Airbnb

Abstract

This study examines the information diffusion of “Airbnb discrimination” and related digital activism on Twitter. The model-based inferential network analysis shows a hub-and-spoke network that is loosely connected, indicating that the diffusion network of Airbnb discrimination includes various issues (e.g., antisemitism). The retweet network mirrors the existing offline relationship of users (e.g., those who support opinion leaders of antisemitism), demonstrating a core–periphery structure during the information diffusion process. This study not only empirically tested the retweet relationships but also provided theoretical explanations on how these relationships form through the notion of curative logic and two step information flow theory. The findings of this research challenge the widely accepted assumption about social media that “the more users share, the more people will see.”