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Differentially Private Generation of Social Networks via Exponential Random Graph Models

Journal Article · · Proceedings - International Computer Software & Applications Conference
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Univ. of Notre Dame, IN (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
  3. Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea)
  4. Urban Institute, Washington, DC (United States)
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Many social networks contain sensitive relational information. One approach to protect the sensitive relational information while offering flexibility for social network research and analysis is to release synthetic social networks at a pre-specified privacy risk level, given the original observed network. In this work, we propose the DP-ERGM procedure that synthesizes networks that satisfy the differential privacy (DP) via the exponential random graph model (EGRM). We apply DP-ERGM to a college student friendship network and compare its original network information preservation in the generated private networks with two other approaches: differentially private DyadWise Randomized Response (DWRR) and Sanitization of the Conditional probability of Edge given Attribute classes (SCEA). The results suggest that DP-EGRM preserves the original information significantly better than DWRR and SCEA in both network statistics and inferences from ERGMs and latent space models. In addition, DP-ERGM satisfies the node DP, a stronger notion of privacy than the edge DP that DWRR and SCEA satisfy.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525
OSTI ID:
1668697
Report Number(s):
SAND--2019-14560J; 682544
Journal Information:
Proceedings - International Computer Software & Applications Conference, Journal Name: Proceedings - International Computer Software & Applications Conference Vol. 2020; ISSN 0730-3157
Publisher:
IEEECopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
differential privacy
edge
exponential random graph model
goodness of fit
randomized response
social network