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In Lebanon, social networks are used to mobilize protesters, but also to relay many rumors. Omar Marques / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

Lebanon has been shaken since October 17 by a huge popular movement against the corruption of the political class and the economic and social crisis. In this challenge, social networks play an important role in the mobilization of protesters, but also in the dissemination of alarmist or whimsical rumors.

With our correspondent in Beirut ,

The rumors that spread like wildfire on all social networks contributed to the wave of panic that has gripped the Lebanese. For example, information attributed to the US television channel CNN announced that the largest bank in Lebanon, Audi, was about to declare bankruptcy. The management of the establishment had to publish a denial denouncing a "fake news".

Another bank, Byblos, has also been the target of a rumor . A poster announcing that customers would no longer be served by employees but by smart ticket distributors went around the Web. As a result, the establishment had to specify that this measure concerned only one branch, totally automated.

Coupled with the dollar shortage that has plagued the country for weeks, these rumors have caused a rush of customers at the counter to withdraw their deposits. Customers on the verge of a nervous breakdown, struggles between depositors and employees unable to meet the strong demand for cash withdrawals ... Videos filmed inside the banks showed dramatic scenes. In view of the seriousness of the incidents, the bank employees' union threatened to go on strike.

For his part, President Michel Aoun summoned the ministers concerned, the governor of the central bank and the president of the Association of Banks to an urgent meeting to try to reassure the Lebanese about the fact that their bank deposits may not disappear. But despite reassuring remarks, rumors continue to spread, especially as restrictions to protect banks from a wave of massive withdrawals and to avoid the flight of capital out of the country, have been adopted.

Nobody is spared

In the early days of the protest, news of President Aoun's transfer abroad for medical treatment after a serious health problem sparked panic among his supporters. Another "fake news", the announcement of the flight of many political figures suspected of having used in the coffers of the state, like Fouad Sinioran, while he was in Beirut and was even heard by a judge .

The Lebanese army also had its share of rumors, such as the one it denied that announced the establishment of the state of emergency and martial law, after the blocking of the roads and the paralysis of the country by the demonstrators for almost two weeks.

Finally, an article attributed to the Washington Post went around social networks. Written in English with a translation into Arabic, the text says that Lebanon could be placed under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter if the demonstrations were repressed. Yet, there is no record of this article on the US newspaper website.

Other rumors, rather fanciful, make the Lebanese laugh more. This is the case of the one according to which the American pornographic actress of Lebanese origin, Mia Khalifé, would have participated in the demonstrations whereas she never set foot in Lebanon. Or a video showing a group of young people quietly playing cards with the road cut off with burnt tires in the background.