Know your election season readiness plan: distinguishing fact/fiction

Empowering employees in the fight against misinformation

Corporate and organizational leaders are tasked with leading their businesses through tumultuous times, and there are fewer times more turbulent than the run-up to a highly divisive presidential election. Emotions often run high during election season, making it challenging to navigate the environment with your composure and strategy intact.

According to The Institute for Public Relations Behavioral Insights Research Center,“80% of  employees want their organizations to help ensure a free and fair election without partisanship.” However, those same employees might be inadvertently contributing to a partisan atmosphere by sharing misinformation or repeating disinformation.

To continue to thrive throughout the 2024 presidential election, your business needs an authentic, cohesive communications strategy—and your employees need leadership that promotes nonpartisan neutrality. Here’s how you can empower your teams to distinguish fact from fiction and avoid further muddying these choppy political waters.

Misinformation vs. disinformation: what’s the difference?

The first step in identifying misinformation is understanding it. “Misinformation” and “disinformation” are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. As The Economist’s Vocabulary of Disinformation explains:

• Misinformation is defined as the unintentional spread of “false information, for instance by repeating a rumor to a friend or reposting an unsubstantiated claim on a social media platform.”
• Disinformation is defined as a deliberate effort to spread “false information with the intent to deceive, often as part of a coordinated campaign.”

While both terms refer to the spread of false information, the key difference is intent. Misinformation is typically shared unintentionally, while disinformation is created on purpose.

To distinguish between misinformation and facts, consider the source. A social media post from a stranger, for example, is not as reliable as a report from a reputable news outlet. Columbia University recommends asking the following questions when assessing whether or not information is credible:

• Where was the source published? If you’re citing statistics, can you find the survey or report where they originated? Are quotes coming directly from an interview, or relayed from a third party? Was the information published in scholarly journals or peer-reviewed research? Always consider where statements come from before sharing.
• Who wrote it? Some voices are more trustworthy than others. Experienced journalists, researchers, and scholars will generally be more reliable than someone whose most prominent credential is a large social media following.
• Is the source timely and appropriate for its field? Check original publishing dates to ensure you have the most up-to-date information and that quotes aren’t being taken out of context to further an agenda.
• For whom is the source written? Scholarly articles should have organized bibliographies that readers can use to dig deeper. News sources should be aimed at informing the public, not inciting a reaction. 
• Will you use the source as a primary or secondary text? If you’re still not convinced of the accuracy of an article or report, err on the safe side and avoid using it as a primary source of information. If it supports information you can already back up, however, it could be a helpful secondary source.

Above all else, remember this guideline: If you can’t trace the information back to its original reporting, be wary about sharing it. Encourage your employees to consume media critically and be thoughtful about the information they share in the coming weeks and months.

Next steps for readiness planning

When preparing for election season, partner with your Human Resources or People team to review your company’s policies and protocols regarding the sharing of political content on employee-facing platforms like Teams and Slack. Include guidance on keeping the conversation neutral and nonpartisan.

Next, develop an internal communications strategy for sharing these policies and keeping them top-of-mind throughout the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. That could mean starting the conversation in a company all-hands meeting and reiterating the points via email or other internal comms.

Collaborate with your IT team to curate resources that help your employees better understand the tools of election misinformation and disinformation. Focus on how online trolls, malicious actors, AI deepfakes, and conspiracy theories create confusion and distort the facts.

Finally, when in doubt, refer to your company’s stated values and let them guide you. It can be tempting to take a public stance on the numerous social issues dominating the election landscape, but if your actions don’t align with your values, it could create conflict between your  business and your clients, customers, and shareholders.

No matter what industry you’re in, maintaining a clear and effective communications strategy is critical in unprecedented times—and the 2024 presidential election will be unlike any other. The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

At Highwire, we thrive on change and evolve with the times, and we can help you do the same. Get in touch to learn more about how your company can establish itself as a thought leader and influence with impact this election year and beyond.