The New Special Issue "Complexity of Social Networks" is Open for Submission!

Guest Editors: Prof. Zi-Ke Zhang, Dr. Junming Huang, Dr. Xiaoke Xu and Dr. Quanhui Liu

Submit to the Special Issue: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/67D1Y87Z55

Submission deadline: 31 July 2025

Special Issue Information:

Social networks are characterized by heterogeneous structures, nonlinear dynamics, and evolving interactions among individuals, groups, and communities. Studying these networks is essential for understanding information diffusion, opinion evolution, and collective behavior in digital societies. Recent advances in computational methods have leveraged complex network theory to uncover the underlying mechanisms, including influence propagation, misinformation diffusion, and network evolution.

Digital platforms, such as social media and recommender systems, play vital roles in shaping communication and interactions. Through algorithmic mediation, these platforms impact information flows, influence user behavior, and contribute to the emergence of echo chambers and polarization, significantly promoting the complexity of analyzing the data and undemanding the underlying mechanism. Despite progress, significant challenges persist, particularly in understanding the dynamic patterns of information diffusion, the long-term effects of algorithmic recommendations on network structure, and the role of AI agents in simulating user interactions within these systems.

Therefore, this Special Issue seeks state-of-the-art research on social network complexity, emphasizing theoretical, computational, and applied approaches. Topics include information spreading mechanisms, community structure change, algorithmic system dynamics, AI in social network models, and novel methodologies for complex network analysis. Contributions are encouraged to address emerging challenges in algorithm-driven social systems or propose innovative frameworks.