Echo chamber effects in signed networks

Echo chamber effects in social networks are generally attributed to the prevalence of interactions among like-minded peers. However, recent evidence has emphasized the role of hostile interactions between opposite-minded groups. Here, we investigate the role of polarization, identified with structural balance, in the formation of echo chambers in signed networks. To do so, we generalize the Independent Cascade Model and the Linear Threshold Model to model information propagation in the presence of antagonistic relations. Our results show that echo chambers spontaneously emerge in balanced networks, but also in antibalanced ones for specific parameters. This highlights that structural polarization and echo chambers do not necessarily display a one-to-one correspondence, showing instead a complex and often counterintuitive interplay. The robustness of our results is confirmed through simulations in different network topologies, including real-world datasets.