Media credibility monitor, AKEED, says 105 rumours recorded in December 2024

AMMAN — The Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor (AKEED) has recently released its monthly report, documenting the rumours that circulated during December 2024.

The report highlighted the number of rumours, their sources, and their impact on Jordanian society. 

The report, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times, recorded 105 rumours during December in 2024, which reached the public through local and international media outlets and social media platforms.

Hussein Abu Rumman, Director of AKEED said that rumours negatively affect society by weakening public trust between citizens and state authorities. He emphasised that the repeated spread of rumours, especially in political and economic fields, does not only disseminate misleading information but also casts doubt on accurate information. 

Abu Rumman added that a precise scientific assessment of the impact of rumours requires advanced tools such nationwide opinion polls.

“The monitor aims to expand its collaboration with local media outlets to reach a larger audience, particularly as AKEED is the only institution in the Kingdom that has consistently documented rumours since 2019 through monthly and annual reports” he said. Abu- Rumman stressed that combating rumours requires joint efforts, including media, official institutions, and civil society organisations and using media platforms such as newspapers, news websites, radio stations, and television channels is a key tool in addressing the public and countering rumours.

“The rapid spread of news via social media represents a major challenge for the monitor, along with the need to continuously develop monitoring and verification techniques” he said

He noted that the monitor strives to improve its outreach to the public while focusing on its core function of monitoring the credibility of Jordanian media to help media outlets enhance performance and improve the quality of their output, safeguarding the public’s right to information.

According to the report, 95 of the rumours spotted in December were circulated through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. "These platforms have become the primary channel for spreading misleading information. Additionally, 19 rumours out of the total recorded originated from external sources."

The report also indicated that the ongoing events in Syria during December, particularly the fall of Bashar Al Assad’s regime and the opening of Saydnaya prison, had a direct impact on Jordan. A total of 33 rumours related to Jordan were recorded, addressing political and security issues. Furthermore, the economic field accounted for 22 rumours, representing 21per cent, which primarily focused on allegations of financial corruption involving institutions and prominent economic figures.

The monitor urged caution when dealing with news and called for strengthened collaboration between media outlets and official institutions to combat rumours. It also emphasised the importance of verifying information and improving the quality of media work to ensure the public’s right to accurate knowledge.

AKEED is a project of the Jordan Media Institute, established with support from the King Abdullah II Fund for Development. The monitor serves as a tool for media accountability, adopting a scientific methodology to monitor and verify rumours. Its establishment responded to the need for tools to foster a culture of media accountability and build trust between the public and the media.