Abstract
Microblogs have enabled us to exchange information in real time, which has led to the spread of not only beneficial but also potentially harmful information, such as rumors. Rumors may block the process of adequate information sharing, which may, in turn, cause serious problems. Several studies have already analyzed the impact of rumors on microblogging media; however, the way in which these rumors can cause potential problems largely remains unclear. This paper analyzes people’s perceptions of rumors on Twitter during disasters using subjective evaluation and rhetorical unit analysis. The results showed that many subjects perceived rumors as containing information that instigates people to take action, reports on a current situation, or predicts future events. Moreover, information that instigates people to take action has been perceived as beneficial in some contexts, while it is also seen as harmful in other cases.
