Beyond the Headline: Mastering the Message Amid Mis/Disinformation

From memes like the $16 McDonald’s meal that went viral amid inflation concerns to erroneous social media messages and even misleading AI-generated Sports Illustrated “articles,” mis/disinformation is becoming increasingly sophisticated—and so should our strategies for countering them before they erupt into PR crises. This session outlines the latest of these threats in today’s complex media landscape and how to counter them. We’ll discuss:

  • Top Threats: The most common types of media mis/disinformation faced by PR teams today—from fake social media accounts and counterfeit products to sham reviews, propaganda, clickbait and even deep fakes.
  • Research and Monitoring: How to research simmering threats using social media monitoring and media listening tools.
  • Prep and Training: How to prepare call centers, media relations teams and other internal partners on what to watch for and how to set the record straight when mis/disinformation breaks.
  • Fact Checking Your Content: Policies, processes and best practices for ensuring all your marketing and PR content is clear, accurate and credible.
  • Clarity and Corrections: When and how to offer timely clarification, corrections and comprehensive background information amidst the fast-paced 24/7 news cycle.
  • AI and the Next Generation of Fakes: How to identify and address highly shareable deepfakes—plus advanced strategies to counter manipulated content.
  • Patrice Smith
    Lecturer, Journalism & Public Relations Department
    California State University, Long Beach