The Spread of Rumors Through Interactive Media During Crises: The COVID-19 Pandemic as a Case Study

In recent decades, the world has witnessed tremendous advancements in communication and media, particularly interactive media, which has enabled individuals to produce and exchange information instantly and on a large scale.During major crises, interactive media emerges as a vital tool for information dissemination.However, it also becomes fertile ground for the spread of rumors and misinformation, especially in the absence of oversight or source verification.The COVID-19 pandemic stands out as one of the most significant global health crises, revealing the challenges of information management.During this period, rumors proliferated at an unprecedented rate, influencing public opinion and exacerbating societal anxiety and confusion.Interactive media platforms played a central role in this context, becoming primary sources of information-both accurate and false-raising critical questions about the nature of these platforms, their responsibilities during crises, and the public's awareness in engaging with them.This paper examines the phenomenon of rumor spread through interactive media during crises, using the COVID-19 pandemic as a model to analyze causes, patterns, and impacts, with the aim of proposing mechanisms to mitigate and combat rumors.