Agents of Discord: Modeling the Impact of Political Bots on Opinion Polarization in Social Networks

Abstract

The pervasive presence and influence of political bots have become the subject of extensive research in recent years. Studies have revealed that a significant percentage of active accounts are bots, contributing to the polarization of public sentiment online. This study employs an agent-based model in conducting computer simulations of complex social networks, to elucidate how bots, representing diverse ideological perspectives, exacerbate societal divisions. To investigate the dynamics of opinion diffusion and shed light on the phenomenon of polarization caused by the activities of political bots, we introduced bots into a bounded-confidence opinion dynamic model for different social networks, whereby the effects of bots on other agents were studied to provide a comprehensive understanding of their influence on opinion dynamics. The simulations showed that the symmetrical deployment of bots on both sides of the opinion spectrum intensifies polarization. These effects were observed within specific tolerance and homophily ranges, with low and high user tolerances slowing down polarization. Moreover, the average path length of the network and the centrality of the bots had a significant impact on the result. Finally, polarization tends to be lower when humans exhibit reduced confidence in bots. This research not only offers valuable insights into the implications of bot activities on the polarization of public opinion and current state of digital society but also provides suggestions to mitigate bot-driven polarization.