Motives for Spreading Rumors on the Internet in Jordan: An analytical study of the content of the rumors published on the " Haggak Taarf " platform

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the number and types of rumors recorded by the "Haggak" platform, which was established by the Jordanian government to address rumors published on the Internet. The study aimed to reveal the motives behind the publication of these rumors and identify the targeted parties.
 Methods: The survey method was adopted for this study, utilizing the content analysis form as a tool for collecting rumors, analyzing their contents, and drawing conclusions. The study sample exclusively included 62 rumors published by the platform in 2020.
 Results: The results showed that rumors in the health field accounted for 61% of the total, primarily due to the implementation of preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic rumors constituted 23% of the total, while political rumors comprised 8%. Multiple digital communication channels accounted for 35% of the sources of these rumors. WhatsApp was the second most common source, accounting for 24% of the rumors, followed by Facebook at 18%, and Twitter at 10%. Rumors originating from digital journalism accounted for 9% of the total.
 Conclusion: The study found that the most prominent motives for spreading rumors were, in order, misleading and falsifying facts at a rate of 52.1%, undermining citizens' confidence in the government at a rate of 17.7%, and inciting fear and terror at a rate of 15%.