Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumors
Rumors regarding COVID-19 have been prevalent on the Internet and affect the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using 1,296 COVID-19 rumors collected from an online platform (piyao.org.cn) in China, we found measurable differences in the content characteristics between true and false rumors. We revea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.920103/full |
| _version_ | 1798037774321844224 |
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| author | Jingyi Zhao Cun Fu Xin Kang Xin Kang |
| author_facet | Jingyi Zhao Cun Fu Xin Kang Xin Kang |
| author_sort | Jingyi Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rumors regarding COVID-19 have been prevalent on the Internet and affect the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using 1,296 COVID-19 rumors collected from an online platform (piyao.org.cn) in China, we found measurable differences in the content characteristics between true and false rumors. We revealed that the length of a rumor's headline is negatively related to the probability of a rumor being true [odds ratio (OR) = 0.37, 95% CI (0.30, 0.44)]. In contrast, the length of a rumor's statement is positively related to this probability [OR = 1.11, 95% CI (1.09, 1.13)]. In addition, we found that a rumor is more likely to be true if it contains concrete places [OR = 20.83, 95% CI (9.60, 48.98)] and it specifies the date or time of events [OR = 22.31, 95% CI (9.63, 57.92)]. The rumor is also likely to be true when it does not evoke positive or negative emotions [OR = 0.15, 95% CI (0.08, 0.29)] and does not include a call for action [OR = 0.06, 95% CI (0.02, 0.12)]. By contrast, the presence of source cues [OR = 0.64, 95% CI (0.31, 1.28)] and visuals [OR = 1.41, 95% CI (0.53, 3.73)] is related to this probability with limited significance. Our findings provide some clues for identifying COVID-19 rumors using their content characteristics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:31:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5aa8e9769ca642bfb5d001b0e340ccb8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:31:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-5aa8e9769ca642bfb5d001b0e340ccb82022-12-22T04:01:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-08-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.920103920103Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumorsJingyi Zhao0Cun Fu1Xin Kang2Xin Kang3College of International Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, ChinaSchool of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Chongqing University, Chongqing, ChinaSchool of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Chongqing University, Chongqing, ChinaResearch Center for Language, Cognition and Language Application, Chongqing University, Chongqing, ChinaRumors regarding COVID-19 have been prevalent on the Internet and affect the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using 1,296 COVID-19 rumors collected from an online platform (piyao.org.cn) in China, we found measurable differences in the content characteristics between true and false rumors. We revealed that the length of a rumor's headline is negatively related to the probability of a rumor being true [odds ratio (OR) = 0.37, 95% CI (0.30, 0.44)]. In contrast, the length of a rumor's statement is positively related to this probability [OR = 1.11, 95% CI (1.09, 1.13)]. In addition, we found that a rumor is more likely to be true if it contains concrete places [OR = 20.83, 95% CI (9.60, 48.98)] and it specifies the date or time of events [OR = 22.31, 95% CI (9.63, 57.92)]. The rumor is also likely to be true when it does not evoke positive or negative emotions [OR = 0.15, 95% CI (0.08, 0.29)] and does not include a call for action [OR = 0.06, 95% CI (0.02, 0.12)]. By contrast, the presence of source cues [OR = 0.64, 95% CI (0.31, 1.28)] and visuals [OR = 1.41, 95% CI (0.53, 3.73)] is related to this probability with limited significance. Our findings provide some clues for identifying COVID-19 rumors using their content characteristics.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.920103/fulllogistic regression modelcontent characteristicsauthenticityCOVID-19 rumorslinguistic |
| spellingShingle | Jingyi Zhao Cun Fu Xin Kang Xin Kang Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumors Frontiers in Public Health logistic regression model content characteristics authenticity COVID-19 rumors linguistic |
| title | Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumors |
| title_full | Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumors |
| title_fullStr | Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumors |
| title_short | Content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of COVID-19 rumors |
| title_sort | content characteristics predict the putative authenticity of covid 19 rumors |
| topic | logistic regression model content characteristics authenticity COVID-19 rumors linguistic |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.920103/full |
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