rumors and misinformation -...
TRANSCRIPT
Rumors and MisinformationRobert Chandler, PhDDirector Nicholson School of CommunicationDirector, Nicholson School of CommunicationUniversity of Central Florida
About Everbridge
• Leader in incident notification systems
• Fast-growing global company with more than 1,000 clients in more than 100 countries
S th Gl b l 2000 h lth• Serve the Global 2000, healthcare systems, state and local government, federal government, military, financial services firms, and universities
• 100% focused on incident notification solutions that merge technology and expertise
• Several years experience delivering message maps and the communication solutions
2www.everbridge.com
AgendaAgenda
Part 1: Presentation Th i t ib t t i ti• The main contributors to common communication breakdowns
• Three steps to rumor control, including how to use p , gmessage maps to address the issue
• How to effectively correct misinformation
Part 2: Q&A
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Q&ANote: slides will be available to all participants onQ&A all participants on blog.everbridge.com shortly after the event
Use the Q&A function to submit your questionsquestions.
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Rumors andRumors and Misinformation: How to Control the DeadlyHow to Control the Deadly (Mis)Information Infection
Robert C. Chandler, PhDRobert C. Chandler, PhDUniversity of Central Florida
Why controlling rumors mattersy g
• Perception is reality.
• Even the most effective communication plan can be crippled by rumors and misinformation.
• Misinformation can spread like wildfire during the p gheightened intensity of a crisis.
• The distribution and receipt of incorrect information can have serious potentially life-threatening consequencesserious, potentially life-threatening consequences.
Why do rumors get started?
Why do rumors get started?y g
Why are messages misunderstood?
Crisis + Heightened public emotions g p+ Limited access to facts + Gossip and speculation = Unstable information environment= Unstable information environment
Narrative tendenciesNarrative tendenciesPsychometric implications of crises
Why do rumors get started?y g
Common sequential communication breakdowns
• Inherent tendency for confusion
• Errors of omission, addition, and distortion
• The more complex the• The more complex the network, the greater the potential for error
Why do rumors get started?y g
Examples:
• Confusion over which type of H1N1 vaccine to get
• Errors in the amounts received by some organizations
• How many people with a seasonal• How many people with a seasonal flu were shunned as H1N1 carriers?
Lessons from the telephone gameLessons from the telephone game
• Reliable, accurate, and trustworthy two-way communications
Control the grapevine by tti ti two way communications
• Capacity to correct misinformation and to disseminate accurate information
setting up an active targeted notification and feedback communication
• Surveillance that can immediately report the first appearance of misperceptions and inaccuracies before they are widely spread
network that provides:
before they are widely spread
Lessons from the telephone gameLessons from the telephone game
• Get accurate news out to key target audiences quickly
A comprehensive communication plan and ta get aud e ces qu c y
• Deal with potentially harmful rumors and sequential errors before they become irreparable
communication plan and interactive system enables an organization to:
• Avoid the comparatively high costs of managing mid-crisis rumors and misinformation
Audience pollWhat will be your biggest BC/DR challenge(s) for 2010?
Man –made disastersWeather-related disastersB d t iBudget issuesContinuing H1N1 issuesPlan creation/modification/testing
Seven steps to preventing rumors
Honesty is the best policybest policy
Honest and frank disclosure of risk allows constituents to make informed decisions to protect themselves.protect themselves.
Transparency can help eliminate paniceliminate panic.
Messages must beMessages must be consistent and coordinated
Coordinating messages and the release of information can help slow the emergence of contradictionsthe emergence of contradictions, inconsistencies, and confusion.
Information should be accurate and based on facts
Fact-based messages help li i l ieliminate speculation.
Avoid over-interpretation of data.p
I f ti h ld bInformation should be timely and relevant
Timely dissemination of accurate and confirmed information buildsand confirmed information builds trust and confidence.
Crisis communicationCrisis communication is proactive in nature
Anticipate increased demand for information.
Address rumors promptly and definitively.
Information must be correct and free of jargonand free of jargon
Comprehension and reasoning deterioratedeteriorate.
Information must be clear and understandable to allunderstandable to all.
Technical, industry-specific jargon may confuse and intimidatemay confuse and intimidate an audience already under stress.
Messages must striveMessages must strive for credibility
Effective messaging offers credible information.
Information presented through fewer sources (rather than more) is often seen as more trustworthy.
Crisis messages from personal and direct sources achieve greatergreater acceptance and compliance.
Audience results
Preventing rumors with Message Mapsg g p
To communicate voluntariness, prepare messages that:• Make the risk more voluntary by providing options and choices• Encourage public dialogue and debate• Ask permissionAsk permission• Ask for informed consent
Preventing rumors with Message Mapsg g p
To communicate controllability, prepare messages that:• Identify things for people to do
• Indicate a willingness to cooperate and share authority and responsibilityp y
• Provide important roles and responsibilities
• Tell people how to recognize problems or symptomsproblems or symptoms
• Tell people how and where to go to get further information
Preventing rumors with Message Mapsg g p
To communicate familiarity, prepare messages that:• Use analogies to make the unfamiliar familiar• Encourage experiential learning• Have rich media content• Have rich media content• Describe means for exploring issues
in greater depth
Preventing rumors with Message Mapsg g p
To communicate fairness, prepare messages that:• Acknowledge possible inequities• Address inequities• Discuss options and trade offs• Discuss options and trade-offs• Admit to mistakes• Take responsibility and pledge to fix mistakes• Avoid being interpreted as arrogant
Preventing rumors with Message Mapsg g p
To communicate trust, prepare messages that:• Cite credible third parties and sources for further information
• Acknowledge that there are other points of view
I di t illi t b h ld t bl• Indicate a willingness to be held accountable
• Describe achievements and admit to vulnerabilities
• Practice appropriate negative disclosurePractice appropriate negative disclosure
• Indicate conformity with the highest professional, scientific, and ethical standards
• Identify the partners working with you
• Indicate a willingness to share the risk
Preventing rumors with Message Mapsg g p
When delivering messages:• Recognize and acknowledge anger, frustration, fear,
outrage, or concern
• Provide 3 or more positive points to counter negative information• Provide 3 or more positive points to counter negative information
• Accept and involve the public and the media as legitimate partners
• Indicate through actions, words, and gestures that you genuinely g , , g y g yshare their concerns
• Listen carefully to what people are concerned about
C i i ti d ti i• Convey compassion, conviction, and optimism
• Speak clearly, simply, and calmly
• Gain trust by admitting there are things you do not knowGain trust by admitting there are things you do not know
Responding to rumors and inaccuraciesp gThree steps to rumor control:
1. Determine what rumors are circulating.2. Determine which rumors are true and
which are false.3 C t i t d l th3. Correct inaccurate rumors and replace them
with reliable information.
Responding to rumors and inaccuraciesp g
• Move quickly to correct. • If a rumor is confined to a small audience—correct it• Keep the level of response
appropriate to the level of the problem.o Overreacting to an isolated
small audience correct it within that group, don’t create a major public event.
• If a rumor is widely known and o Overreacting to an isolated
mistake will attract attention to the problem you are trying to correct.
o Under-reacting to widely reported information that is not correct will
spreading—move aggressively and publicly to correct it.
• When squelching a rumor, anticipate how the rumor mightinformation that is not correct will
compound the error.
• Be careful that your comments don’t leave the wrong impression and that they are
anticipate how the rumor might evolve in response to your efforts. Be as thorough as you can in closing off avenues for future rumorsimpression and that they are
not open to interpretation. future rumors.
Incident NotificationCandace GreenEverbridge
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Incident notification solutions address common communication challengescommon communication challenges
• Communicate quickly, easily, and efficiently with large numbers of people in minutes, not hours
• Reduce miscommunications and control rumors with accurate, consistent messages (3P = 1N)
• Use all contact paths especially when regional or local communication infrastructure is
• Free key personnel to perform critical tasks by automating manual, time-intensive,
damaged or not working
• Ensure two-way communicationsfor better visibility planning and
error-prone processes
• Improve communication effectiveness by eliminatingfor better visibility, planning, and
complianceeffectiveness by eliminating any single point of failure
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The Everbridge difference
t h l + ti ttechnology + expertise = empowerment
technology + expertise = confidence
technology + expertise = your success
technology + expertise = solution
gy p y
Everbridge, the world’s recognized leader in incident notification t t h l ith i d t ti t h lsystems, merges technology with industry expertise to help
millions of people communicate in a crisis, manage operational incidents, and connect on a daily basis., y
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Key evaluation criteria for an incident notification system
• Ease of use
• Ability to reach all contact paths,Ability to reach all contact paths, including voice, email, native SMS (over SMPP and SMTP), IM, and more
• Experience
• Ease of integration
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Q&ANote: slides will be available to all participants onQ&A all participants on blog.everbridge.com shortly after the event
Use the Q&A function to submit your questionsquestions.
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Item Number (Schedule II): 26.1Activity Group: A
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Activity Group: A1 Point for each webinar
Contact information Communication resources
Candace [email protected]
White papers, case studies, literatureeverbridge.com/resources
Robert C. Chandler, [email protected]
Hot off the presses…pGet Dr. Chandler’s new pandemic book:http://outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?ISBN=9781432748937
http://www amazon com/Surviving-Pandemic-Robert-Chandler-
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