Abstract:

Influence maximization is a problem of finding the most influential set of nodes in a social network which can maximize the spread of influence. The influence maximization problem has been one of the hot topics in social networks over the past decade. The study is not only of theoretical significance, but also of promising applications. The basic principles and the background of the problem are introduced. We also discuss the current development status, existing problems, some diffusion models and several algorithms for solving these problems. Finally, some future research directions of the problem are proposed.

Key words: influence maximization;social network;diffusion model;approximation algorithm