Disinformation: A Digital Monster

“Disinformation is misleading information that is spread deliberately to deceive.”

In the digital world, there are 2 baseline principles that have made a monster out of disinformation. Firstly — Content or Information are the key to gaining attention. Secondly — The power that Information wields on consumer behaviour(or reaction) also applies equally to Disinformation.

Since Content and Consumer Behaviour drives some of Marketing’s key metrics today, honest-marketing warrants a critical audit of the information shared by a business or an entity.

The difference between Information and Disinformation is the intent. When an information is mutated deliberately to seek attention or a reaction from a consumer, it takes the form of Disinformation. Unfortunately, the digital marketing metrics today are focused only on consumer reactions(to a content) and not so much on the intent or fact-checks(of the content).

The good news however is that digital marketing space is in evolution still, and the consumer is recognised as the single most important entity in it. The new-age marketing needs to focus not only on consumer-reactions to a content, but also look consumer-welfare while consuming that content.

So, when you audit your content and its effect on consumer, you are already mindful of not spreading disinformation or feeding into this powerful, destructive and divisive monster. The conscious choices that you make helps you navigate towards becoming an Honest-Marketer.

Originally Published on: www.honest-marketing.com and www.linkedin.com/in/honest-marketing-92905b209