Rumor Control Centers

Efforts at controlling rumors and informing citizens about the facts of a crisis situation have been institutionalized in various forms and countries (Shibutani, 1966: 200-208; Williams and Erchak, 1969). These forms include the nearly universal refutation of rumors by respected leaders, the imposition of censorship, large government bureaucracies such as the U.S. Office of War Information, radio and television &dquo;open lines,&dquo; rumor columns in newspapers, and the &dquo;Rumor Control Centers.&dquo; The Anti-Defamation League in the United States for years has operated a rumor clinic demonstration program, with its preventive, rather than responsive, approach to rumors. In Northern Ireland, &dquo;anti-rumor, anti-intimidation services&dquo; were operated as a response to their recent civil disorders. In England, there exists a federation of 482 Citizens’ Advice Bureaux. Although oriented to noncrisis times, the CABs provide informational services which overlap with those pro-