Disclosure delays help fuel online rumors, expert says

Official delays in releasing information on issues people find important is one of the main reasons rumors spread on the Internet, an expert said.

"Nowadays, most government departments prefer to debunk fake news after it's been circulating than to disclose the truth upfront," said Cheng Manli, a media professor at Peking University.

Such delays weaken the authority of official information and provide an opportunity for people with bad intentions to spread rumors, especially online.