engleski

Rumor Mill in Cyberspace

Did cyberspace add a new quality that rumor mill did not have in traditional media? The assumption from which we started was that the Web did not change nor purpose neither nature of hoax, as a most penetrating rumor, but that it has exponentially increased the speed and radius of rumor’s dispersion, Q.E.D. Definitions of rumor cover different realities. Among them are misinformation and disinformation through media, prejudices told as asserted truths, biased propaganda, conspiracy theory lacking evidence, contemporary legend (“urban legend”) aimed to fan the flames of controversy, etc. We can discuss when the so called viral communication is to be considered a kind of rumor. Most fears and worries may be generated when a rumor, and especially a hoax, is used as a tool of hate speech. In such a circumstance it may be co-responsible for the evil consequences. As case studies are proposed some rumors or hoaxes used in recent campaigns, for instance by Donald Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte and similar statesmen.

Rumor, Hoax, Hate Speech

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