Online social networks becoming rumor mill

Calls mount for gov't to take tougher stance against rumormongers

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By Lee Hyo-sik

Twitter and other social networking service (SNS) tools have enabled young people and others marginalized by mainstream media outlets to express their opinions on various social issues.

SNS users have brought a great deal of political and social change here by pressuring politicians and other decision makers to reflect their views.

But this newly-emerging media tool is increasingly turning into a hotbed for rumormongers who spread unfounded and malicious stories about entertainers, businessmen and celebrities.

Some SNS users have also circulated groundless rumors about the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) and government policies, compromising Korea's national interest.

There are growing calls for the administration to take a tougher stance against those who spread ill-natured rumors via SNS and other Internet media to defame someone else's reputation and derail government policies.

They say this trend shows many adolescents and young people here don't have a clear sense of morality, stressing that rumormongers should be held legally accountable for their actions in order to create a sound cyberspace environment.

On Wednesday, one Twitter user posted a message that read "Breaking news: (comedian) Kang Ho-dong found breathing in his house". This posting fooled many people who thought the popular comedian was found dead in his house by mistaking "breathing" for "dead".

The rumor of Kang's death spread rapidly in cyberspace and became the day's most searched phrase. Kang has disappeared from the public eye since he temporarily retired from show business following a tax-evasion scandal.

Several other celebrities have also been victims of "death rumors" this month, including popular singer Lee Hyori, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee. SNS rumormongers also targeted North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Nov. 8 by spreading rumors that he was dead.

Not only celebrities but also government policies have been negatively affected by unfounded gossip circulating on SNS.

Opponents of the KORUS FTA have posted a series of messages about what would happen if the accord goes into effect, which experts say are not true. One recent post claimed that electricity, tap water and other public service sectors would be privatized. Others argued the trade pact would destroy Korea's rice industry and make it easier to own firearms.

"Some Twitter users intentionally spread malicious rumors in cyberspace to attract attention from followers. But this shows how ethically insensitive they have become", said professor Kang Du-ho at the Department of Ethics Education at Chonbuk National University.

"To make adolescents abide by basic social rules and respect others, we should reinforce ethics education for the young generation in schools".

Kang urged law enforcement authorities to mobilize all possible resources to hold members of the online community accountable for their actions.