Orbits: Rumors’ Pandemic

By: Muawad Mustafa Rashid

Criminology experts have revealed that rumors spread more among educated people with college degrees than among those with lower degrees.
They explain this by saying that those with college degrees use smart devices more than others and share news more quickly.
There are three types of rumors: fear rumors, hope rumors, and hate rumors. Fear rumors rely on ignorance and are used in war situations. They threaten social peace and aim to incite anxiety and terror. Hope rumors aim to raise hopes and are sometimes framed within a religious framework. They also aim to frustrate society and cause aggression if the rumors fail to materialize.
Hate rumors are spread with the aim of dividing and misleading segments of society, such as by belittling a particular group or degrading a tribe or group. They aim to fragment national unity.
Stopping such rumors depends on transparency from official bodies, adherence to objectivity, and a consistent approach, delivering a clear and concise message to members of society.
Rumors have become more widespread with the advent of technology, 4G, 5G, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
We must point out here that new media lacks professional standards compared to traditional media. The landscape is chaotic on social media platforms, where fraudulent rumors abound, including cover stories, impersonating an official person or a website, organized campaigns, or altered photos and videos.
Perhaps what contributes to the spread and belief of rumors is the distortion of information issued by official bodies by entities with specific goals and agendas aimed at harming the course of the government.
According to the latest studies, rumors spread 70% faster than accurate news on Twitter, and official bodies require six times the time it takes to disseminate false news.
May God protect us and our beloved country from the threat of the rumors’ pandemic, which can only be cured through greater transparency and timely access to accurate information.