A kinetic model for the spread of rumor in emergencies

Abstract

To study rumor spreading, a novel rumor spreading model with latent, constant recruitment, and varying total population is investigated. We carry out a global qualitative analysis of the rumor spreading model with latent, constant recruitment, and varying total population and studied the existence and stability of the rumor-elimination and prevailing equilibria and the impact different management strategies have on the rumor spreading process. The Runge-Kutta method is used for numerical simulation, and the simulation results imply that increasing the efforts to crack down on rumor spreaders, the timely disclosure of transparent information, the popularization of scientific knowledge, and the improvement of the ignorants' discrimination may be effective rumor control measures. © 2013 Guanghua Chen et al.