What is an internet rumor, do you know?

In this era of universal self-media, everyone has the right to speak, however, it has also given rise to a large number of rumor mongers who casually publish false information online, using methods such as generalization, fabrication, reversing black and white, concept substitution, and confusing tenses to achieve the purpose of making falsehoods appear true. So what is an internet rumor? What forms do internet rumors take? What penalties are there for spreading rumors online?

What is an 'internet rumor'?

An 'internet rumor' refers to rumors spread through online media (such as Weibo, foreign websites, online forums, social networking sites, chat software, etc.) that lack factual basis and contain aggressive, purposeful language, mainly involving sudden events, public domains, political figures, subversion of tradition, and heretical content.

With the innovation of internet technology, internet rumors have developed many new characteristics attached to new media, which are completely different from traditional rumors, such as anonymity, group dissemination, high dissemination efficiency, short dissemination lifecycle, information reorganization, and high credibility of reconstructed facts.

Categories and manifestations of 'internet rumors'

1. Internet crime rumors

This type of rumor generally fabricates shocking or outrageous criminal information, causing public anger and fear, leading to dissatisfaction with the government, government officials, or certain groups, while also affecting the reputation of the parties involved and disrupting their normal lives.

2. Internet terror rumors

This type of rumor generally fabricates terror information or information about events that endanger public safety, causing public panic, disrupting social order, and leading to dissatisfaction with government management, affecting social stability.

3. Internet disaster rumors

Fabricating information about an impending disaster or exaggerating the harmfulness of an already occurred disaster, causing public panic and disrupting social and economic order.

4. Internet personal event rumors

Internet personal event rumors fabricate eye-catching false information targeting certain individuals, especially celebrities, infringing on the privacy of the parties involved, causing negative impacts and even economic losses.

What are the harms of 'internet rumors'?

1. Triggering social turmoil, endangering public safety, and harming public interests. Due to the rapid spread and wide reach of internet rumors, once some sensational rumors reach a certain scale, they can cause adverse effects, leading to panic among a large number of netizens, thus causing social instability.

2. Disrupting people's thoughts, psychology, and behavior. People often exhibit various inappropriate behaviors due to a false rumor, especially when faced with rumors related to their own interests, they lose rationality and judgment, deeply believing that it is true, leading to a chain reaction of panic.

3. Internet rumors mislead social public opinion. Rumors and gossip blur people's vision, leading to a deviation from the mainstream ideology of society, polluting the online public opinion environment. Some young people, lacking social experience and having weak discernment and self-control, may develop negative emotions towards society and the future when faced with internet rumors, thus losing their ambition and giving up on spiritual pursuits and career advancement.