| Abstract: | Current literature suggests that, as a form of communication, rumor is a story or statement circulated without confirmation. Rumors emerge under conditions marked by a combination of uncertainty, involvement, anxiety, and credulity, and may circulate by word-of-mouth or various media. The SARS- and war-related rumors in China in 2003 have stimulated new thoughts to the existing theories of rumor. The spread of the rumors was due to a unique combination of Chinese culture and society, the media environment in China, and conditions conducive to generating rumors. New media played a significant role in disseminating information with high efficiency and facilitating free flow of information. |
