As Chris Clarke, co-founder of Fire on the Hill, explains: “Much of the focus around mis- and disinformation currently centres on the political and social sphere, but we are seeing companies and economic interests increasingly targeted.
“The results are a wake-up call for companies everywhere. Mis- and disinformation is one of the new frontiers of corporate reputation management, and should be high on the agenda for board-level decision-makers. Only by understanding the nature of the threats can we begin to take steps towards mitigation.”
Elsewhere, the Mercury Analytics study found upper management at US-based organisations is more in tune with risks associated with mis- and disinformation. Some 69 per cent of respondents in upper management indicated that they actively seek out methods of prevention, compared to 55 per cent of lower management.
At the same time, 66 per cent of respondents identified ‘brand reputation’ as an area for which they see the biggest potential for negative impact due to mis- and disinformation, followed by ‘customer expectations’ (56 per cent), ‘employee retention’ (41 per cent), ‘company revenue’ (41 per cent), ‘disruption of daily operations’ (36 per cent), and ‘company stock prices’ (32 per cent).
Jordan Kraft, partner and chief strategy officer at Mercury Analytics, adds: “Our study shows that most organizations are concerned about the potential effects of mis- and disinformation.
“This is why we are increasingly working with organisations on rapid response projects to test messaging before it goes live, deliver insights needed to respond effectively when crises hit, and to truly understand customer and stakeholder opinions and attitudes to key issues that can be a focus for mis- and disinformation campaigns.”
How can we help?
The research helps to better understand the challenges that mis- and disinformation presents to corporate reputation, the extent to which companies have been impacted so far, where threats are coming from, and what actions can be taken to reduce the impact.
When it comes to mitigating harm, there are a number of steps organisations can and, indeed, are taking.
Chief among them is the development of internal policies for reporting mis- and disinformation. The more aware companies are of the dangers around this topic, the more likely they are to be able to effectively respond. Awareness is key and we are seeing businesses of all sizes begin to take steps in the right direction.
Social media brand management and fact-checking protocols were also cited by respondents to the study as having the potential to minimise the impact of mis- and disinformation on corporate reputation, while the deployment of technology designed to detect mis- and disinformation was also seen as a valuable tool.
Finally, traditional media approaches, building relationships with journalists to drive the credibility of information appearing in the press, can also play a positive role.
This is an emerging, amorphous challenge, faced by organisations of all sizes. At Fire on the Hill, we are working to develop understanding and look forward to making an effective contribution in the defence of corporate reputation alongside our partners.
More Information
For more information, view the full study here.
