March witnessed spike in digitally propagated rumours — monitor

AMMAN — During March, a month that has witnessed exceptional circumstances worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, around 67 rumours were reported in the Kingdom, among them 43 falsified items targetting the health sector, at 64 per cent.

The Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor, Akeed, in a report launched on Tuesday, said that the number of rumours in March saw a “considerable increase”.

According to the report, this coincided with developments in the coronavirus outbreak in the Kingdom as the first case was reported, the number of coronavirus patients grew and three defence orders were issued.

While 67 rumours were spread in March, 31 were propagated in February and 30 in January, the report indicated.

The results also showed that media outlets played a “minor role” in the phenomenon, spreading only 12 rumours in March, at 18 per cent, while 55 rumours (82 per cent) began on social media platforms.

Facebook and WhatsApp topped social media platforms in this regard, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Local sources, notably social media platforms and news websites, fabricated 57 rumours, at 85 per cent, while 10 rumours, at 15 per cent, were created by outside sources, the monitor said.

Regarding the 55 rumours fuelled on social media platforms, 49 fake items came from local sources, while the remaining six  items were created by outside sources.

Rumours concerning social and security matters constituted some 12 per cent, 9 per cent of which were related to political conditions and 3 per cent to economic conditions, according to the monitor.