# Prof. Sinan Aral & Dylan Walker a develop new method to measure influence in social networks

1 Faculty News June 22, 2012 ![Forbes logo](/sites/default/files/styles/246w/public/assets/images/con_030508.jpg?itok=SId6k3bx)>

Excerpt from [Forbes India](http://forbesindia.com/blog/technology/how-influential-are-you-on-facebook-twitter/) -- "A key differentiator of [Aral’s](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/sinan-aral) and Walker’s study is that it avoids known biases in current methods. The jargon for this is ‘Homophily bias’. ... 'Our method solves this problem and other estimation challenges using randomization,' says Aral."

[Read more](http://forbesindia.com/blog/technology/how-influential-are-you-on-facebook-twitter/)

Additional coverage appeared in [TIME](http://healthland.time.com/2012/06/22/who-wields-the-most-influence-on-facebook/), [Science Magazine](http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/06/who-controls-social-networks.html), [Everyday Health](http://www.everydayhealth.com/mens-health/0621/who-has-the-most-sway-on-facebook.aspx), [Newstrack India](http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/06/22/68-Facebook-study-reveals-men-elders-wield-greater-influence-than-women-.html), [Los Angeles Times](http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-facebook-study-finds-men-married-people-are-most-influential-20120621,0,443736.story?track=rss), [CNET](http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57458339-71/on-facebook-people-trust-the-marrieds-not-the-complicateds/), [KHON2](http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Are-you-a-Facebook-trendsetter-or-follower/Rr69EL3LLk-Xtlre8E3AZg.cspx), [SmartPlanet](http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/thinking-tech/nyu-professors-say-men-are-more-influential-8230-on-facebook/12124), [IT World](http://www.itworld.com/business-intelligence/282124/facebook-study-shows-older-married-men-make-most-your-decisions), [Marketing Pilgrim](http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2012/06/facebook-recommendations-men-trust-women-more-than-women-trust-women.html) and [Stuff.co.nz](http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/7161879/Are-you-a-social-media-leader-or-follower).