Amman: The Jordan Media Credibility Observatory (Akeed) documented 91 rumors circulating in the month of August that were disseminated through local and foreign media outlets and social platforms.
According to Jordan News Agency, the observatory defined a rumor as "false or inaccurate information related to public affairs or domestic interests, which reaches more than 5,000 people via digital media, regardless of being officially denied", it stated in its monthly report on Monday. The observatory added that it has developed "a quantitative and qualitative methodology" to track these rumors.
The report highlighted that fifteen of these rumors were officially denied, marking an increase of two from July when 13 rumors were denied. Economic rumors were the most prevalent in August, with 25 recorded, accounting for 28 percent of the total. These included 14 rumors concerning mismanagement of public funds and six related to water and electricity issues.
Additionally, the report noted that 10 rumors, making up 11 percent of the total, originated from foreign sources. In terms of medium, the vast majority of the rumors, 80 in total or 88 percent, were disseminated via social media platforms. In contrast, 11 rumors, or 12 percent, were published by news outlets.
The observatory emphasized its commitment to publishing fact-checking reports on its website to raise awareness about the dangers of spreading misinformation and its negative impact on society.