Navigating the Web of Disinformation: Employing Social Network Analysis to Decode Disinformation Dynamics in Modern Societies

by Mariann Hardey, Wasim Ahmed

Overview

A network analysis that ignores social harm is merely a technical exercise. A social critique that ignores the network is incomplete. Navigating the Web of Disinformation closes this critical gap.

Mariann Hardey and Wasim Ahmed offer a vital socio-technical examination of digital falsehoods, using Social Network Analysis (SNA) to connect the mechanics of digital diffusion to their real-world consequences. The result is a powerful visual and analytical account of how digital manipulation directly fuels social instability. As a critical contribution to the field, this book equips researchers and policymakers with a practical method to not only identify false information but to understand its social impact, proposing grounded solutions to defend the integrity of public discourse.

A vital contribution to the field, this publication equips policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with the insights needed to mitigate the spread of false information.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781837083411
Publisher:	Emerald Publishing Limited
Publication date:	12/01/2025
Series:	Emerald Points
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x (d)

About the Author

Professor Mariann (Maz) Hardey is Distinguished Professor of Business and Computing, Durham UniversityBusiness School, Advanced Research Computing (ARC), Durham University, UK. What does it mean to be human in an age of algorithms? This is the central question driving Professor Hardey’s work. Inspired by H.G. Wells's visions of a future shaped by innovation, she is dedicated to ensuring that this future is inclusive, equitable, and universally accessible. Her work seeks to empower individuals and communities through technology.

Dr Wasim Ahmed is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Hull UniversityBusiness School. What does it mean to build resilience in a world shaped by digital manipulation? This is the central question driving the work of Dr Ahmed. He is a leading expert in social network analysis (SNA), data visualisation, and digital disinformation. His research uncovers the mechanisms by which false narratives around public health propagate and shape public discourse. Dr Ahmed’s work has attracted widespread citation and recognition, particularly for its use of SNA.

Table of Contents

Introduction - The Distorted Reality We Live In
Chapter 1. Disinformation and Social Networks
Chapter 2. Social Network Analysis (SNA) for Disinformation
Chapter 3. Seeders and Amplifiers
Chapter 4. Disinformation Campaigns and the Potential of SNA
Chapter 5. Countering Disinformation
Chapter 6. Social Network Analysis as a Diagnostic Tool for the Identification of AI-Driven Disinformation
Chapter 7. The Machinery of Politics
Chapter 8. The Impact of Disinformation on Public Health
Chapter 9. The Future of Disinformation
Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

An absolute pleasure to read, each chapter is timely, insightful, and brimming with scholarship. A valuable contribution for anyone seeking depth and relevance in this field.

Zahidul Islam Jobair - Former Lecturer

This book is a masterclass in the strategic application of Social Network Analysis to understand disinformation. Few works manage to ground complex tools in civic relevance so effectively. The book spans historical and contemporary disinformation, offering frameworks that directly inform civic response.

Dr. Syeda Shahid – Assistant Professor

A practical, concise guide for anyone analysing disinformation networks: it clearly explains which centrality measures to use in different scenarios and how layout choices reveal clusters, bridges, and key influencers.

Alessandro Zonin – Adjunct Professor in Data Analytics & Big Data

As an early career researcher at the cusp of public and consumer health informatics & social network analysis, I found this book’s guidance on centrality and layout algorithms invaluable. The authors write with such clarity that questions about SNA or NodeXL seem to be answered before they are even asked, making it an accessible and powerful resource for tackling disinformation.

Nishant Jain