Fake newsdisinformation - words that have unfortunately become part of our daily lives. Faced with the inescapable bombardment of information and growing social unrest, companies must combat disinformation.

In today's world, fewer and fewer things remain constant apart from the unstoppable flow of information. What makes this even more problematic are the lines of demarcation between advertising, entertainment and information. With the rise of genres such as "Infotainment", consumers are in a constant struggle to distil the truth.

Adulterated news and advertising

Digital marketing and advertising has become so sophisticated that some forms of it are almost unrecognizable as promotional campaigns. Brands are more concerned with how they help customers along their life journey than with exact products. These processes have made it harder to distinguish between content. Sources are becoming increasingly obscure.

Unfortunately, with this transformation has also come a greater sense of distrust. We're in an age where we can't be sure that the content we consume is credible, authentic, and has no other motives. In the case of fake newsThis problem is magnified and leads to serious unrest, or even worse, tragedy.

Mistrust is bad for business

In the academic world, Internet literacy is at the forefront of contemporary education. It's time for companies to follow suit. Because if customers become so cynical that they stop believing in anything, then real value will no longer matter.

Companies have to fight disinformation. Because even if they are the most beneficial choice on the market, people will just see them as another empty promise. People will perceive looming catastrophes as hoaxes, leading to devastating crises. So it's time to act on these Corporate Social Responsibility objectives and make an effort to educate the public.

Companies can react to these changes much more quickly than government agencies, and if they don't pay attention now, they could well lose many of their customers to disinformation campaigns.

Honesty, Transparency and Community

Fortunately, communities are keen to join the conversation, to share their views on the issue. In many cases, they are prepared to take part in efforts if the opportunity arises and if the campaign is really valuable. Companies need to capitalize on this trend in order to generate trust, not just in their brand, but in society as a whole.

Organizations must demonstrate significant honesty, transparency and clarity about how they operate, what their objectives are. In this way, consumers can become familiar with the corporation, and experience a meaningful connection with it, not just empty virtue signaling.