Introduction

Since ancient Roman time, rumor has been a way for people to obtain information and participate in politics (Laurence, 1994). Rumors are considered “normal collective information search” (Turner and Killiam, 1957). However, in the process of rumor spreading, whether through individuals or platforms, the authenticity will be affected. After some major social events, such as the 9.11, the SARS pandemic and the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will even be a “rumor storm” phenomenon. Online rumors may negatively impact social media platforms in terms of disseminating inaccurate information. They may damage the reputations of individuals and organizations, and may harm social cohesion（GOH et la.，2017）. Therefore, science communication has a vital part to play in the post-COVID time, rumor-refuting on Internet platforms is especially important. Researchers argue that rumor-refuting is effective in combating rumors on Internet platforms, and publishing information on refuting rumors will reduce the public's trust in rumors, and thus reduce their tendency to share rumors. Rumor is driven by emotion, while rumor-refuting is driven by facts (GOH et la.，2017). To achieve a better effect in preventing the spread of rumors, a multi-user media platform should be chosen (Zhao, L.J et la., 2014).  While related researches in China mostly focus on analyzing the rumor-refuting mode and the effect of a specific internet platform under a specific event (Zhou, 2011; Chen, 2012; Jin & Zhao, 2017; Tang & Lai, 2018), there is a gap lies between rumor-defying platforms and their propaganda effects. Our research thus aims to develop an empirical research to better reveal the rumor-defying platform’s function.

Approach

This paper adopts a retrospective method, and draws samples under the circumstance that the rumor has been confirmed to be false. We take the Chinese official rumor-refuting platform’s WeChat account (www.piyao.org.cn) for the case study. This account was set up by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), which is the central internet regulator, censor, oversight, and control agency for China. Contents are drawn from its platform which includes website, APP and WeChat official account. The research date is set from August 2018 when the launch of this Platform to February 2022, we will categorize the monthly top ten rumors list for this period and conduct content analysis, discourse analysis and co-occurrence word network analysis to analyze the methods and effects of rumor-refuting, platform roles, the textual features of rumors and rumor-refuting and audience attitudes，try to explain its daily operation in rumor-refuting, and how it works as a science communication platform.

Conclusion

l  The account posts several themes with a mixed character. Except the current events, Daily rumor-refuting contents on science communication related to people’s everyday lives becomes the regular posts. Public tip-offs and Verification function make more personal responses to science communication, and to realize the “Awareness, Enjoyment, Interest, Opinion-forming, and Understanding of science”

l  The above themes have completely different discourse systems, but both share a common rumor-refuting framework. Since the censor and control of the internet is continuously upgrading in the past decade, the operation of the rumor-refuting platform is not only a response to national policies, but also has advantages of accurately and timely responding to social concerns and science communication. Combing the two types of rumor-refuting content is more conducive to guiding people to establish a correct understanding of the rumor-refuting content

l  Unlike the western countries, which normally regard the internet platforms as promoters of false and misinformation, Chinese internet platforms play a role in assisting the government in rumor-refuting. Chinese internet platforms not only censor the user-generated content based on sensitive thesaurus, but also use algorithms to actively promote content produced by the media and government agencies. This mode of combining power and business to carry out rumor-refuting and science communication needs further exploration.

Discussion

l  Our analysis provides a Chinese case study for the proliferation of false and misinformation that plagues the world, provides an explanation for the relatively stable online science communication environment in China, and points out the complex nature of China's rumor-refuting work.

l  Our analysis goes beyond the traditional research on rumors and rumor-refuting to a certain extent, and shifts the research focus to the power and ideology behind the rumor-refuting. Exploring the political attributes behind rumors and rumor-refuting needs to be further studied.