Amman, July 11 (Petra) -- A Jordanian media watchdog tracked 697 rumors circulating among the public during the first half of this year, averaging 116.2 rumors per month, according to a report released on Saturday.

The semi-annual report by Akeed, the Jordan Media Credibility Monitor operated by the Jordan Media Institute, showed that half of the recorded rumors were concentrated in politics and economics. Together, these two sectors accounted for 352 rumors, or 50.5% of the total.

Political rumors led the list with 177 instances, followed closely by economic matters with 175. Social issues ranked third with 141 rumors, followed by security affairs with 95, public affairs with 66, and health matters with 43.

The report found that the vast majority of the rumors originated domestically, accounting for 532 instances, or 76.3% of the total. In contrast, 165 rumors came from external sources, making up 23.7%.

The presence of foreign-sourced rumors fluctuated over the six months, with 81 recorded in March and April alone. This external activity peaked in April, which accounted for 50 of those rumors.

Social media platforms were the primary channel for dissemination, carrying 525 rumors, or 75.3% of the total, compared to 172 rumors circulated by mainstream media outlets, which accounted for 24.7%.

The watchdog noted that these figures demonstrate how digital platforms served as the widest channel for spreading and recycling rumors during the period. This was particularly evident in March, when 137 rumors were tracked on social media platforms compared to just five instances in mainstream media.

The findings indicate that the responsibility for curbing rumors does not rest solely on digital platforms, Akeed said. It highlighted the need to strengthen verification standards and professional editing in mainstream media, especially when handling news from external sources or covering sensitive and fast-moving events.

The report also showed that official denials or clarifications were issued for 225 rumors, representing 32.3% of the total recorded cases. April saw the highest volume of denied rumors at 55, while June recorded the highest percentage of denials relative to its total rumors, reaching 51.1%.

Sawsan Abu Al-Sundus, a media content monitor at Akeed, told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the highest volume of rumors occurred during March with 142 rumors, April with 157, and May with 121. Meanwhile, February recorded 89 rumors, and June registered 92.

//Petra// AF

11/07/2026 20:05:57