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Abstract
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While contagion (information, infection, etc.) spreading has been extensively studied recently, the role of active local agents has not been fully considered. Here, we propose and study a model of spreading which takes into account the strength or quality of contagions as well as the local probabilistic dynamics occurring at various nodes. Transmission occurs only after the quality-based fitness of the contagion has been evaluated by the local agent. We study such spreading dynamics on Erd?s-Rényi as well as scale free networks. The model exhibits quality-dependent exponential time scales at early times leading to a slowly evolving quasi-stationary state. Low prevalence is seen for a wide range of contagion quality for arbitrary large networks. We also investigate the activity of nodes and find a power-law distribution with a robust exponent independent of network topology. These properties, while absent in standard theoretical models, are observed in recent empirical observations.
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