Linguistic predictors of rumor veracity on the Internet

Alton Y.K. Chua, Snehasish Banerjee

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper attempts to investigate the role of language in predicting the veracity of rumors on the Internet. Specifically, it seeks to examine rumor veracity as a function of six groups of linguistic predictors. These include rumors' (1) comprehensibility, (2) sentiment, (3) time-orientation, (4) quantitative details, (5) writing style, and (6) topic. A dataset of 2,391 rumors, about 20% of which were true and the rest false, drawn from the rumor-verification website Snopes.comwas used for investigation. The operationalized measures of the linguistic predictors were calculated for all rumors using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) tool. Binomial logistic regression was used for data analysis. The model performed generally well. The results specifically indicated that rumor veracity could be predicated by comprehensibility, time-orientation, writing style and topic of rumors.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIMECS 2016 - International Multiconference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2016
EditorsCraig Douglas, David Dagan Feng, S. I. Ao, Oscar Castillo, Alexander M. Korsunsky
PublisherNewswood Limited
Pages387-391
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9789881925381
Publication statusPublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes
EventInternational Multiconference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2016, IMECS 2016 - Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Duration: Mar 16 2016Mar 18 2016

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Engineering and Computer Science
Volume1
ISSN (Print)2078-0958

Conference

ConferenceInternational Multiconference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2016, IMECS 2016
Country/TerritoryHong Kong
CityTsimshatsui, Kowloon
Period3/16/163/18/16

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Computer Science (miscellaneous)

Keywords

  • Authenticity
  • Linguistic analysis
  • Online rumors
  • Trust
  • Veracity
  • Virality

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