Propagation Pattern as a Telltale Sign of Fake News on Social Media

This exploratory study examines how fake news differs from real news in terms of propagation pattern on social media. It analyzed 40 news (20 fake news + 20 real news) surrounding the 2016 US presidential election that emerged on Twitter. Three major observations were made. First, fake news appeared to be posted more than real news. Second, with time, the growing volume of tweets for fake news indicated its sustainable propagation to achieve a wider reach. Third, the tweet volume of real news dropped drastically after the first day. However, it was not true for fake news. The observations are discussed in light of the related literature.