ANALYZING RUMORS AND GOSSIP AMONG GROUPS OF WHATSAPP, SAUDI ARABIA
Ali H. S. Alzahrani*
ABSTRACT
Background: The study of rumors has a long history in all the major social sciences, including psychology, social anthropology, geography, sociology, sociolinguistics. Objective: To exposure rumors and gossip among four different professionals groups of whatsapp in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Method: For three months (November 2016 to January 2017) I have been following groups of whatsApp consists of four professionals groups (N=263) in order to explore rumors and gossip among these groups. Results: The prevalence of rumors and gossip among these professional groups were (physicians 37%, media people 33%, officers 21% and professors 9%). Entertainment was the first purpose to be in group with 36%, then Wishes come second with 21%, then reminders come third with 17%, then news come fourth with 11%, Compliments come fifth with 8% and the last one was warnings with 7%. 63% of the sample prefer evening to chat with each other, then in the morning with 22%. Conclusion: Rumors and gossip were more visible among the group physicians with 37%. 63% of the whole sample like to chat with each other in the evening. 64% of all four groups like to send short video clips with average 2 minutes.
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