• The Daily Mail (UK), Friday, April 2, 2010 2:39 PM

Not surprisingly, researchers are now comparing the spread of gossip on social networking sites like Facebook to that of a contagious virus. Furthermore, mathematicians have developed an equation that describes Internet rumours' ability to spread worldwide in just hours.

The scientists at Rome's La Sapienza University created their equation in an effort to measure the Web's power to spread indiscretion. "It shows just how fast news -- and gossip -- travels these days," research team leader Alessandro Panconesi tells the U.K.'s Mail Online. "It's like influenza." Meanwhile, Professor Panconesi said he's already demonstrated his method's reliability, thanks to the help of researchers in the United States.

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