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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Activity Group: A1 Point for each webinar

Contact information Communication resources

Candace Greencandace.green@everbridge.com1-818-230-9700

White papers, case studies, literatureeverbridge.com/resources

Robert C. Chandler, PhDrcchandl@mail.ucf.edu1-407-823-2683

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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http://www.amazon.com/Surviving Pandemic Robert ChandlerPhD/dp/1432748939/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260826512&sr=1-1