Orders of Discourse and the Ecosystem of Rumor Management on WeChat

Rumors are claims about a certain person, object or situation without secured epistemological standings. According to this definition, rumors can be true. In Chinese public discourse, however, rumor is married with falsity and viewed as the major embodiment of online falsehood. In this presentation, I explore the symbolic meanings and cultural implications of rumor management practices on WeChat by seeing rumor management as the exertion of power in maintaining and challenging the order of discourse.