The Evolving Threat Of Disinformation And Its Impact On Pr Programs

Disinformation is no longer just an election-day phenomenon. In previous election cycles, headlines were often dominated by worries about foreign disinformation inciting violence, but the 2024 election cycle has introduced a new perspective. This year’s relatively low-profile disinformation efforts highlight both the success of election security initiatives and the shifting nature of influence operations by adversarial actors. Yet, this shift also serves as a stark reminder that disinformation is now an endemic issue that affects far more than just isolated events like elections. Instead of focusing on blatant, violence-inciting content, activists are adopting a more insidious approach. They’re seeding subtle falsehoods, exploiting existing societal divisions, and manipulating narratives over longer periods.

This “slow drip” of disinformation can be harder to detect and counter, but its cumulative effect can be just as damaging. Adding to this complex landscape, Lisa Kaplan, CEO of disinformation detection startup Alethea, highlighted the rise of activist-driven disinformation at the IPR Commissions and Centers Summit in New York City on Dec. 3. Brands are targeted for their perceived political stances or social responsibility initiatives, Kaplan noted. Companies like Harley Davidson, Walmart, and Target have been caught in the crossfire, facing boycotts and accusations of being “too woke” or not woke enough. This weaponization of disinformation by activists presents a unique challenge for PR, demanding careful navigation of public sentiment and stakeholder expectations.

The rise of new social media platforms like BlueSky, coupled with the evolving nature of established platforms like X (Twitter), further complicates the disinformation landscape. PR teams must adapt their strategies to reach audiences across these diverse platforms, while contending with the increasing prevalence of activist accounts masquerading as journalists. Furthermore, the workshop emphasized the growing mistrust of traditional media, with a significant portion of the population turning to infotainment for their news. According to Pew Research, 86% of Americans got their news often or sometimes from digital devices, versus 63% for TV, 42% for radio and only 26% often or sometimes from newspapers. This trend makes it even more challenging to combat disinformation and ensure accurate information reaches the public. A Commitment to Sharing Only Accurate and Truthful Information

How PR Pros Can Counter AI Misinformation How This PR Pro Is Helping Communicate Accurate Election Information Even as Trust in Media Falls, Students Can Serve Public Good Most Americans Consider Disinformation a Problem, Study Finds The Escalating Threat of Misinformation and Disinformation: A New Era for Reputation Management In an era characterized by declining trust in established institutions and the unchecked rise of social media, a new battleground has emerged for reputation managers: the fight against misinformation and disinformation.

Fueled by the rapid advancements and increasing accessibility of artificial intelligence (AI), the spread of false and misleading information poses a significant threat to brands, individuals, and even societal stability. Senior communications leaders recently convened to discuss the escalating challenges and explore innovative strategies to navigate this complex landscape. Targeted Attacks and Industry-Specific Challenges: The sophistication of misinformation campaigns has reached unprecedented levels. Bad actors are employing increasingly convincing tactics, including deepfakes and fraudulent messages, to target brands and individuals. Organizations like Arup, WPP, and M&S have been victims of deepfakes, while Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson’s image was fraudulently used in investment scams.

The pervasiveness of misinformation presents unique challenges across different industries. For entities like Manchester United FC, navigating the constant speculation surrounding player transfers requires a careful balancing act between accuracy and fan engagement. In sectors like healthcare and politics, the consequences of misinformation can be far more severe, potentially impacting public health and political discourse. Pfizer, for instance, faced the immense challenge of communicating accurate information about its COVID-19 vaccine amidst a torrent of misinformation and conspiracy theories. While technology plays a pivotal role in amplifying the spread of misinformation, it simultaneously offers powerful tools to combat it. AI-driven solutions are emerging as crucial allies in the fight against false narratives.

These sophisticated systems can analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns and origins of misinformation, and even test the effectiveness of potential responses. Weber Shandwick, for example, has developed AI-powered tools that can formulate responses within minutes, providing organizations with the agility needed to stay ahead of rapidly evolving narratives. This technological advantage allows communication teams to focus on strategic decision-making rather than getting bogged down in time-consuming data analysis. April marks Disinformation Awareness Month, a global initiative led by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) to spotlight the mounting risks of false and misleading information in our hyper-connected world. As communicators face the twin pressures of media disruption and information warfare, IPR’s latest study—“Navigating a Changing Media Landscape”—arrives as essential reading for global PR professionals. The research, based on interviews with 44 senior communications leaders across sectors, offers a nuanced view of how Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) and media relations professionals are adapting to an increasingly volatile media environment—not...

The contraction of the journalism industry is not confined to North America. Across the globe, local and regional news outlets are being shuttered at an alarming rate. In the UK, the Press Gazette has reported the closure of nearly 300 local publications over the past two decades. In Africa and parts of Asia, news organisations face severe funding shortages and political pressures. In the Gulf and South Asia, state-linked or politically influenced media dominate, further distorting the information landscape. IPR’s report underscores that fewer journalists are covering broader beats with less depth, time, and industry knowledge—forcing communicators to step in as both educators and content providers.

“We’re often dealing with someone covering a catch-all beat… It puts the onus on us to educate reporters,” said one insurance comms director. Subodh Mishra is Global Head of Communications at ISS STOXX. This post is based on an ISS ESG memorandum by Avleen Kaur, Corporate Ratings Research Sector Head for Technology, Media, and Telecommunications, at ISS ESG. In an era of rapidly evolving digital technologies, information integrity has become a growing concern. Current threats include “misinformation,” defined as inaccurate information shared without the intent to cause harm; and “disinformation,” inaccurate information deliberately disseminated with the purpose of deceiving audiences and doing harm. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025, survey respondents identified misinformation and disinformation as leading global risks.

Moreover, misinformation and disinformation can interact with and be exacerbated by other technological and societal factors, such as the rise of AI-generated content. This post examines some contemporary online risks, including problems highlighted by ISS ESG Screening & Controversies data. Additional data from the ISS ESG Corporate Rating offer insight into how companies in the Interactive Media and Online Communications industry are responding to such risks. The post also reviews evolving regulation that is shaping the digital landscape and the response to misinformation, disinformation, and related threats. With an estimated two-thirds of the global population having an online presence, the majority of whom are also social media users, the number of people such content might reach has also expanded significantly. What communications teams need to know about detecting and responding to coordinated disinformation threats that jeopardise corporate reputations.

Communications teams have long grappled with disinformation campaigns designed to damage their reputations, or those of their clients. Now, they are on the front lines of the global disinformation threat as it adapts to increasingly complex, nefarious tactics that easily fly under the radar of traditional social media monitoring software and media... Disinformation attacks are impossible to monitor without a system-level understanding of coordinated campaigns, which can derail business operations, halt revenue streams and significantly lower company valuations. These new challenges require swift detection and scalable response strategies that can meet evolving threats. “Faced with highly sophisticated disinformation attacks, traditional monitoring tools are like knives in a gun fight,” says Leo Wood, Partner at Hanbury Strategy. “Whilst they’re very good at tracking conversations and engagement, they’re not set up to detect the fingerprints of coordinated emerging disinformation attacks.”

⚠️ Disinformation has moved beyond election cycles, posing a persistent threat that requires PR and marketing professionals to adopt proactive and strategic countermeasures. Erin Harrison, founding partner of LIMELIGHT, explains why the threat of disinformation is more insidious than ever. ➡️ Key takeaways: ❌ Activist-driven disinformation: Brands are increasingly targeted for their perceived political stances or social initiatives. 📈 The rise of new platforms: Disinformation is spreading across diverse online spaces, making it harder to track and counter. 🤨 Erosion of trust in traditional media: Reaching audiences with accurate information is becoming increasingly difficult. Read Erin's article to learn more about the evolving threat of disinformation and how PR and marketing communications professionals can prepare.💡 https://lnkd.in/d4h6NQMr

Misinformation and Disinformation: Public Relations Strategies for Promoting Truth In the contemporary digital landscape, misinformation and disinformation have emerged as pervasive challenges, eroding the fabric of public discourse and undermining trust in institutions. Defined respectively, misinformation refers to false or inaccurate information spread without harmful intent, whereas disinformation is deliberately designed to deceive and manipulate the public. This evolving threat landscape calls for an urgent and strategic response, particularly from the public relations (PR) sector, whose core mandate is to manage and safeguard reputations. This article delves into strategic approaches the PR industry can adopt to combat misinformation and disinformation, thereby promoting a culture of truth and trust. Central to combating misinformation and disinformation is the establishment of a truth-first culture within organizations.

PR professionals must lead by example, ensuring that accuracy, honesty, and transparency are non-negotiable principles in their communication strategies. This encompasses a careful vetting of information sources, rigorous fact-checking, and a commitment to correcting inaccuracies promptly when they occur. By prioritizing truth, organizations can build credibility and establish themselves as reliable information sources, thereby fostering public trust. There’s a world of information at our fingertips, but how much can we actually trust it? Research shows misinformation is spreading faster than ever – up to six times faster than accurate news items – with digital platforms enabling the amplification of fake stories, erroneous claims, or unreliable information. Whether misinformation is shared intentionally or by accident, the risks for PR pros are the same.

It can erode trust in the brand you represent, undoing years of hard work in minutes. While you can’t control what other people say or share online, you should be aware of how PR and misinformation are linked, and what you can do when you encounter it – all of... Fill out the form to download our guide on PR and misinformation now. Whether it comes in the form of deepfakes, fake news, or conspiracy theories, misinformation is causing disruption not just for the media, but organizations and society at large. For brands who find themselves at the center of false news claims, the negative implications can be profound.

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