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COMPUTER SCIENCE

Hiding in plain sight

Nature Human Behaviour volume 2, pages 115–116 (2018)Cite this article

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With just a handful of modifications to their social networks, individuals and groups can reduce the likelihood that they will be detected by others using standard social network analysis algorithms.

A difficulty, however, is detecting dark networks in the first place. It is all well and good to have methods in place that can inform the crafting of disruption strategies, but if authorities are unaware of a dark network’s existence, then the social network mapping of that network will not take place. This is why the analysis by Waniek et al.6 in Nature Human Behaviour could prove to be invaluable for those involved in efforts to counter dark networks. They demonstrate how individuals and groups can reduce the likelihood of being detected by standard SNA algorithms by making minor modifications to their ties to others. In particular, they present a method, which they call ROAM (remove one, add many), by which individuals can retreat into the shadows by ‘befriending’ previously unconnected friends and ‘unfriending’ well-connected ones, and they can do so without substantially degrading their potential influence. By severing ties with well-connected friends, they reduce the probability that they will be detected by standard SNA algorithms such as degree, closeness, betweenness and eigenvector centrality. However, by forming ties between previously unconnected friends, they can maintain their influence through their indirect ties to well-connected others.

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  1. Defense Analysis Department, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, USA

    Sean F. Everton

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  1. Sean F. Everton
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Correspondence to Sean F. Everton.

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Everton, S.F. Hiding in plain sight. Nat Hum Behav 2, 115–116 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0299-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0299-2

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