Fake News, a Dangerous Problem in Times of Crisis

Information was no longer in the hands of the traditional media because many new voices and opinions were born, which has been beneficial for freedom of speech and plurality. There are many benefits of information circulating freely and instantly, for example, we can find out what is happening on the other side of the world in real time, learn different opinions on a controversial issue and, thus, formulate an informed and critical opinion. 

However, the excessive amount of information circulating and the lack of regulations in content creation and circulation also brings great risks that range from the particular to the general, that is, from putting the life and integrity of a person at risk to destabilize the health or political security of an entire country.

Although spreading falsified information is nothing new, since ancient civilizations it was a method used to manipulate public opinion, and today social networks create an ideal panorama for this practice. The ease with which content can be created and spread makes it difficult to reach the people who create this news, which makes fake news difficult to define and stop.

When we hear “fake news” we can refer to very notorious cases, such as the 2016 elections in the United States, but in reality this must be addressed more seriously now that we are facing the health crisis due to Covid-19. The current economic, political and health landscape demands that serious measures be taken in order to improve the detection of fake news. For example, a false news story that boomed during the first months of the pandemic was that of chlorine dioxide as a cure for Covid-19, which could not be further from the truth, since it can be lethal to health. This resulted in a considerable increase in hospital admissions due to chlorine dioxide poisoning, some of which unfortunately ended in preventable deaths. 

Faced with a problem of such size, we must recognize our position of responsibility within the cycle of misinformation. And although measures are required that combine efforts from the media, social networks, government authorities and, of course, informed consumers, we can also take action. The key is to consider social networks as a useful tool, but considering the responsibility it entails at the time of sharing information with our network. How can you effectively spot fake news?

•    Don’t get carried away by the format. Fake news can be presented as a published article, photograph, video or audio. Regardless of how the information is presented, do some research.

•    Do not stay with the headings, review all of the information, start to end. Many times a striking headline can go viral. 

•    Use the image search engine offered by Google, to track other media that speak of the same content in order to compare the information. 

•    Do not lose sight of the media that shares the news. Verify it’s coming from the official outlet or investigate about its seriousness.

•    Spelling may be the key. If you detect several spelling or writing errors, it is likely to be fake news.

•    Look for the same news in other media and compare. Stop to search for information on the same topic in order to broaden your vision and notice if there are any inconsistencies.

Marketing has a relevant position within this issue because in many occasions it’s responsible for creating and spreading a large amount of content that travels in the widespread digital world. There is a responsibility it must assume greater than that of an ordinary user. 

Failure to verify the information shared by a brand or company can seriously damage its reputation, and being part of fake news can permanently affect business. How can you be more careful while taking action?

•    If your marketing strategy involves content curation, make sure that the sources are reliable with the help of the previous tips. Above all, don’t get carried away by the attractiveness of a headline. 

•    Design protocols for digital crisis cases according to the severity of the problem. You can do it for three levels of threat, in order to face each case in an appropriate manner. This way you will have a follow up plan without falling into a panic that could make everything worse. 

•    If fake news are affecting your brand, take action immediately, run your protocols, and deny the news through concise and correctly informed content.

•    If the fake news about your brand or company has gone viral, you can take advantage of that scope to deny and reverse the negative effect, leaving a transparent and reliable image of your business. 

•    The best strategy is prevention. Constantly monitor what is said about your business on social media, so that you can react immediately before the problem escalates.

•    Of course, we cannot stop emphasizing that the use of fake news as part of a marketing strategy is an irresponsible and dishonest act, which damages the business that implements this type of deceptive strategy, the professionals who participate and the audience. It is best to work with truth and transparency.