TRIPOLI — Libyan Prime Minister's Media and Communications Office launched a new rumor counter-measure initiative on its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LibyanGovernment. The page announced that in future rumors circulating in the media or on social networking sites will be marked, in Arabic, with the word rumor followed by a hash-tag (rumour#) within a red square. Already since its launch Tuesday, the PM's media office has had to deny three strong rumors doing the rounds regarding: European embassies refusing to issue Shengen visas, European nations objecting to thuwar (former freedom fighters) holding government positions and the rumor that US drones have been bombing Al-Qaeda sites in eastern Libya. It will be interesting to se how this new initiative develops and whether the PM's media office will be able to keep up and respond to all the rumors that are often doing the rounds in Libya. — Libya Herald
