The Quality Assurance and Performance Evaluation Unit at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Women, University of Baghdad, Organizes a Scientific Symposium on “Combating Rumors on Social Media”. The event hosted Colonel Wissam Abdul Kareem Al-Wazzan from the Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency, Public Relations and Media Division, and Prof.Dr. Muntaha Abdul Zahra, a faculty member at the College of Education, Al-Mustansiriya University.
The lecturers explained that rumors are unverified information, ideas, or news spread without a reliable source, often circulated orally, in writing, or through visuals on multiple platforms, particularly social media and satellite channels. They classified rumors into several types: creeping, rapid, regressive, exploratory, projection, justification, expectation, fear, hope, and hate. They also highlighted the factors contributing to the spread of rumors, including the stages of selective perception, goal-oriented revision and addition, final comprehension, and dissemination.
The Symposium emphasized strategies to combat rumors, stressing the importance of avoiding the spread of information from unreliable sources on social media, imposing censorship on content that invades the privacy, security, and safety of individuals.
At the end of the seminar, the Dean of the College presented the lecturers with certificates of appreciation in recognition of their efforts in conducting such awareness-raising seminars aimed at educating university students, encouraging them not to accept or spread rumors, and to report those who circulate them. This activity aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
