Empirical studies on the network of social groups: The case of Tencent QQ

Zhi-Qiang YOU, Xiao-Pu HAN, Linyuan LÜ, Chi Ho YEUNG

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Participation in social groups are important but the collective behaviors of human as a group are difficult to analyze due to the difficulties to quantify ordinary social relation, group membership, and to collect a comprehensive dataset. Such difficulties can be circumvented by analyzing online social networks. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this paper, we analyze a comprehensive dataset released from Tencent QQ, an instant messenger with the highest market share in China. Specifically, we analyze three derivative networks involving groups and their members-the hypergraph of groups, the network of groups and the user network-to reveal social interactions at microscopic and mesoscopic level. Conclusions/Significance: Our results uncover interesting behaviors on the growth of user groups, the interactions between groups, and their relationship with member age and gender. These findings lead to insights which are difficult to obtain in social networks based on personal contacts. Copyright © 2015 You et al.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0130538
JournalPLoS One
Volume10
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2015

Citation

You, Z.-Q., Han, H.-P., Lü, L., & Yeung, C. H. (2015). Empirical studies on the network of social groups: The case of Tencent QQ. PLoS One, 10(7). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130538

Keywords

  • Interdependent networks
  • Human-communication
  • Gender-differences
  • Human dynamics

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