Disinformation: How We Got Here, and What to Do About It

Speaker: Deanna Troust, Founder and President, 3 Stories Communications

Disinformation campaigns are threatening lives and democracies around the world. The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building in January showed how easily falsehoods can influence perspectives and behavior, yet we ask: how can people believe things that are so clearly untrue? Falsehoods can seep into the workplace as well – via casual conversation, formal remarks, or digital channels. As communicators, we're uniquely positioned to address this phenomenon, and we need to prepare to do so. How does disinformation take hold, and what role do business communicators play in addressing it? This interactive session will explore the difference between mis- and disinformation, the powerful influence campaigns behind them, implications for the workplace and steps communicators can take to reinforce truth while minimizing conflict.

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Understand the types of misinformation campaigns and how they're produced
• Recognize mis- or disinformation when it shows up, including in the workplace
• Feel more comfortable addressing disinformation and falsehoods, whether in person and online