Novel coronavirus pneumonia has been spreading around the world. How did rumors
and panic buying of toilet paper happen? What is the relationship between the two? This paper
demonstrates this, and on this basis, studies how to properly control the rumor and panic buying
reporting. The results of demonstration and research show that the rumor of insufficient toilet paper is
caused by insufficient masks, oil crisis and overseas rush buying riots. Rumors spread widely in Japan
and Singapore, and rumors spread across borders because of the social panic caused by COVID-19.
The trend of rush buying, taking the opportunity of rumors, began in various places, and suddenly
accelerated on February 28. The main reason for the rapid acceleration was that the toilet paper was out
of stock on TV; There are few people who believe in rumors and rush to buy them. Many people don’t
believe in rumors, but think that “others will buy toilet paper because they believe in rumors, so they
can’t buy toilet paper”, so they also join in the rush buying. This kind of psychology expands with the
increase of out of stock shops, which speeds up the rush buying; Because people see the toilet paper in
the store disappear in reality, the information persuasion of negating rumors declines. The faster the
rush to buy, the more anxious people are about the shortage of goods, and the effect of negating rumors
decreases; Before the rumor evolves into a collective action that has a bad impact on society, the spread
of rumor must be controlled.