The Net as rumour mill
23rd December 2002 (Computimes)
By AHMAD KUSHAIRI

THE Internet is a global community which can serve as a reliable source of information. At the same time, it can serve as the biggest platform for rumour mongering imaginable.

This dark side of the Internet again came to light a few weeks ago when rumours were spread via electronic mail (e-mail) that certain parts of Kuala Lumpur would be prime targets for terror bombings.

In case you were one of those Netizens who had received the message and gleefully forwarded it to your acquaintances, you have every reason to feel a tad uneasy, knowing that the police could well be on your trail. At the time this article was written, a total of seven people had been arrested for suspicion of spreading the rumours. Investigation is continuing and further arrests can be expected soon, the police assured.

This latest development is reminiscent of the 1998 rumour-mongering incident, when Internet newsgroup messages spread false reports that Indonesian migrant workers in Kuala Lumpur were about to riot. A few people were arrested and later charged for spreading the rumours.

Rumour mongering is still rampant on the Internet, perhaps due to the fact that it still offers some form of "anonymity" for those to wreak this kind of havoc. Newsgroups, where e-mail is exchanged - often anonymously - on subjects of common interest, is where a huge collective knowledge can be built up, but also where false information is easily disseminated.

Well, the next time you decide to forward an e-mail, make sure that it's not anything controversial. If you are in doubt, just delete it from your mailbox.

It's better to be safe than sorry!