المستخلص: |
This study aims to identify the role of the Saudi Ministry of Media in facing social media rumors during COVID-19 crisis, on its page on twitter. This is done through using content analysis approach, by depending on content analysis form as a tool for gathering data. The study community consisted of rumors circulating on twitter during COVID-19 crisis. The study sample was represented in the page of the Ministry to counter rumors, during September and October 2020. The study concluded a group of results, notable among these are: - Ways adopted by the Saudi Ministry of Media, to face social media rumors during COVID-19 crisis, are represented in (sharing awareness-raising symposia and lectures of rumors’ risks and its effects on the social security on the homepage of the Ministry of Media. - Developing a public opinion against rumors that contributes in facing it, through social media users. - Results showed that the most significant strategies used by the Saudi Ministry of Media, to face rumors during COVID-19 crisis on its twitter page, are: - The dialogue strategy to establish confidence with public. - To provide the correct and fact-based information to enhance the trustworthiness of media in the public eye. In light of these results, the study recommended the following: - To use modern communication means to raise public awareness of rumors risk, - The need for action to discredit rumor source. - To activate the legal side through showing legal mechanism for the prosecution and punishment of rumors producers and mongers.
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