Risk Trends 2025 and Beyond: Disinformation Confusion

There is false information everywhere — how much false information do your employees, customers, partners, regulators, and competitors believe is true? 

Canadians are growing more concerned about false, misleading, and inaccurate information online.

A recent Statistics Canada report highlights this trend: 59 percent of respondents say they’re worried about the rising threat of misinformation, while 43 percent say they increasingly struggle to separate fact from fiction on the internet.

This is the first time disinformation confusion has been included in this report, reflecting its increasing impact on society and business. The spread of false or misleading information can lead to confusion, panic, and harm to individuals, corporations, and communities. Disinformation campaigns, which intend to mislead, can manipulate public opinion and influence major decisions.

The impact on business

The implications for businesses are serious. Reputational damage from disinformation, malicious attacks on social media, or the promotion of fraud, scams, or phishing attacks can lead to financial losses and a loss of public trust.

The risk of disinformation is not just about reputational damage; it’s also about the potential for financial harm and lost opportunities. Consider a scenario where false information spreads online about the safety of an airline. Even if completely unfounded, these rumours can cause people to avoid flying with the airline, leading to financial losses.

Similarly, during competitive bidding for government contracts, a false claim about a vendor’s integrity can sway decisions, possibly costing the vendor the contract. Even if these claims are later proven untrue, the damage to the company’s reputation could be long-lasting.

As disinformation continues to evolve, businesses need to stay vigilant and develop strategies to maneuver through the complexities of online information. To navigate these challenges, businesses must develop methods to verify the information they use and disseminate. This might include forming a communication verification team to ensure the accuracy of all public statements. Think of it as having a dedicated group that checks facts before they are shared, maintaining the company's credibility and trustworthiness. 

Verifying the accuracy of information is imperative to maintaining public trust and integrity in the digital age.

Why stop there? Here are other risks to consider:

• Health misinformation
• Polarization and division
• Erosion of trust
• Manipulation of public discourse
• Cyber security threats
• Compliance challenges and legal liabilities

Questions to consider:

• How would you know if and prevent your organization from making critical decisions based on false information?
• Do you have effective controls to verify what is factual and what’s not?
• Are you scanning social media to see if you are the victim of someone trying to spread false information about your business?