How to Counter a Deepfake Narrative With Crisis Communications
By Gabriel De La Rosa for PRNews
Public relations is a messy business. Even when you don’t screw up, somehow you do. That is even more true now in the emerging AI era of deepfakes, when an image of your likeness can be used against you, even if it wasn’t really you.
Take the example of a deepfake of Taylor Swift, which had her PR team in overdrive and threatening legal action. It was clear from the swift response—no pun intended—that her PR team already had a plan in place that could be instituted as the crisis unfolded. That should become the standard for publicity teams.
It’s evident you need a deepfake scenario as part of your crisis communications plan, along with other disinformation management plans. Otherwise, you can see your reputation tarnished by actions or events that never actually happened. That’s the reality of the world we live in today, and it’s best to meet the challenge head-on.
The Hazardous Social Media Landscape
In an era when reputations can be built or shattered with a single post on TikTok, the arrival of AI further complicates an individual’s or company’s public image. In this precarious social media landscape, even when you’re doing everything right, you might still find yourself entangled in a web of misinformation and publicity crises.
The rise of deepfakes introduces an additional challenge for PR teams, who have to mitigate the fallout of manipulated images and videos that may deceive the public. Nefarious actors can use deepfakes to create false statements or narratives, leading to reputational harm for individuals or organizations. The Taylor Swift incident serves as a reminder that even the most well-meaning individuals can find themselves at the mercy of AI-generated disinformation.
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