The Spread of Social Rumors via Facebook and Their Impact on Family Stability and Social Cohesion. (A field study on a sample of the population of Sirte city)

Abstract

This study aims to understand the spread of social rumors via Facebook and their impact on family stability and social cohesion. It also seeks to reveal the level of interaction of respondents with rumors, news, and information from unknown sources targeting certain families and social figures. The study employed a descriptive methodology, utilizing a questionnaire as the data collection tool. The study population consisted of the diverse segments and components of the population of Sirte in 2026. The researcher used a convenience sample of 94 individuals. Key findings include: the results indicate that the majority of respondents avoid interacting with this type of content, with the "I do not interact with it at all" category ranking first at 59.6%. The results also show that rumors are primarily spread through fake accounts and pseudonyms, representing 77.7% of the total sample. Furthermore, more than half of the respondents believe that rumors spread for a combination of motives, with "all of the above" receiving the highest percentage at 55.3%. The results also demonstrate the impact of the spread of rumors. Regarding social rumors on family and social stability, the respondents chose all of the above-mentioned options for influence at a high rate of (58.5%).