Book review: On Rumours: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done

Published on Saturday 7 November 2009 10:52

On Rumours: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done by Cass Sunstein is published by Allen Lane, priced £16.99.

In the internet age, rumours can spread quickly and devastatingly, as American legal scholar Cass Sunstein explores in his latest book.

He describes how some erroneous claims have gained a foothold in society – such as the rumour that US governor Sarah Palin thought Africa was a country, or that damage to the Pentagon on 11 September, 2001 was caused by a missile, rather than a hijacked plane.

Sunstein explains how such rumours gain hold – often people want them to be true, or they fit in with preconceived ideas.

They are also hard to stop: retractions can fan the flames, and people with extreme beliefs can become even more entrenched in their views after hearing balanced or opposing arguments.

A thought-provoking piece, it's extremely relevant in the modern world of digital communications and highlights the impact of spreading or accepting of rumours on democracy and truth.

7/10 Review by Claire Ennis