Category: Reflections Page 1 of 2

Misinformation

Misinformation is one of the biggest battles in today’s media news world. It has been a late trend in the last decade, and some might say it has divided the U.S. Misinformation has also affected people who work in the Public relations world. AI has also made it more difficult for people in PR to fight erroneous information by encouraging media literacy, guaranteeing openness, and offering fact-based information. However, there are ways to naviagate the new age of misinformation.

Photo Courtesy Science

Navagating Through Misinformation

In a time of disinformation, PR practitioners can use their communication abilities, media contacts, and strategic messaging to defend reputations and promote truth.  Proactively disseminating accurate, open, and timely information helps them to influence stories before lies take hold.  Monitoring digital platforms for developing disinformation lets them react quickly and fix errors. According to Nachshen (2023), “ As PR counselors, we can also help our organizations put systems and processes in place to monitor and detect misinformation, whether from AI or other sources. At the same time, organizations need to have a process to quickly validate information, because not every unflattering video will be a deepfake ( p.1).”   

Supporting consistent messaging and matching corporate behavior with declared principles also helps to foster confidence significantly.  Teaching media literacy and ethical communication to clients and stakeholders helps to strengthen integrity even further.  By doing this, PR experts become vital defenders of credibility in today’s complicated information environment. According to Nachshen (2023), ” We can also use our communications expertise to advise organizational leaders on how and when to respond to misinformation. We can pre-identify spokespeople and content distribution channels and help ensure the organizations we serve have plans in place to share timely and accurate information — assuming that it’s appropriate to do so (p.1).”

Photo Courtesy Stimson Center

The Negative Effects of Misinformation and Disinformation

Misinformation and disinformation weaken public trust and distort reality by disseminating inaccurate or misleading information that confuses audiences and reduces faith in reliable sources. Misformation—false information supplied without malicious intent—and disinformation—deliberately misleading information meant to deceive—cause communication difficulties for companies. The Commission on Information Disorder Final Report (2021, as cited in PRSA, 2021) Lying and distorting facts to sow mistrust has become a tactic of mainstream political and issue campaigns, it says. “Compounding the problem is the media’s continued repetition, amplification and rewarding of those who lie” by giving them high-profile coverage instead of providing the public with facts and holding liars to account ( The Aspen Institute). This trend is often seen a lot on FOX News, CNN, and MSNBC daily.

The rapid proliferation of such lies can drive companies into reactive crisis management, robbing resources from their main goal of harm control. The remaining effect of incorrect information can cause doubt among those who could doubt the company’s legitimacy, even after it has been fixed. PR professionals need to work together to prevent this from happening.

Sources

https://podcasts.apple.com/fi/podcast/the-rise-of-misinformation-and-what-it-means/id964108086?i=1000631924757
https://podcasts.apple.com/fi/podcast/truth-trust-trickery/id964108086?i=1000643704553

https://www.prsa.org/article/how-pr-pros-can-help-counter-ai-s-misinformation

What is DEI?

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a framework that was put together to pursue and advance fair treatment for all people, however DEI was really put in place to help people that have been dealing with discrimination or a lack of representation historically in the United States. DEI has done a lot of goood and has brought a lot of change in corporate, education, and social class settings. In 2025, DEI was cut and defunded by the U.S. government. The Trump adminstration sees DEI programs as wasteful and immoral. Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing

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The Importance of Identity

ernment DEI Programs And Preferencing

Identity diversity is essential in society and public relations. It creates inclusivity, widens mindsets, and brings communities together. In a society with so much diversity, people bring unique experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints to decisions that need more than one opinion. Identity diversity helps break down bias. It will also create equitable opportunities for people that are not heard. Organizations in the PR world, like PRSA, are trying to improve the lack of diversity in Public Relations. PRSA (2025) states: 

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is devoted to building consciousness by increasing visibility of DEI standards, resources and best practices for racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation and gender differences, as well as diverse skill sets, mindsets and cultures at all levels of the organization. 

The DEI Committee commends PR firms and organizations that have established more diverse workplace environments, and those that have established management programs to help minority groups and LGBTQ+ practitioners move up the corporate ladder (paras 1,2). 

 Identity diversity is critical for original storytelling and effective communication in public relations. PR business professionals must understand and represent different audiences with different cultures and backgrounds. The messages echos with other races, cultures, and gender identities. Without diversity in public relations, campaigns risk being harmful or even threatening to specific cultural groups. This is why DEI is essential in fostering inclusive spaces that are fair to everyone.

Go0gle

Google has faced many problems regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, in the public eye, Google has made it clear that it is committed to diversity. The company has struggled with workplace discrimination against employees. It is apparent that Google has Insufficient representation in senior positions and internal opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Glaser (2020) states:

Since 2018, internal diversity and inclusion training programs have been scaled back or cut entirely, four Google employees and two people who recently left the company told NBC News in interviews. In addition, they said, the team responsible for those programs has been reduced in size, and positions previously held by full-time employees have been outsourced or not refilled after members of the diversity teams left the company ( Para 2).

Questions remain about Google’s dedication to diversity in the long run because of the layoffs that have occurred inside its DEI teams due to internal conflicts and political opposition.

Refrences

Current and ex-employees allege Google drastically rolled back diversity programs. (2020, May 13). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/current-ex-employees-allege-google-drastically-rolled-back-diversity-inclusion-n1206181

About Public Relations. (n.d.). PRSA. https://www.prsa.org/about/all-about-pr

(About Public Relations, n.d.)

On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast (Director). (2021, June 14). Courageous conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion with Tru Pettigrew [Video recording]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwJoPRrfSJE

(About Public Relations, n.d.)

(On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast, 2021)

The Patronage system is where wealthy patrons and establishments usually support a composer for exclusive entertainment. The positive traits of patrons are that they have a steady income, guaranteed work, lodging, and meals, musicians to play works, and an audience for the composer. The Patronage system has negative traits; the composer must please their patron. Which means the patron decides what the composer writes. Composers had a limited amount of musical freedom. If the composer did not please their patron, they would be punished. The punishment would be cleaning the horse stables. The great composer Bach was imprisoned for a month for not pleasing his patron. The Free Lance system is when the composer works for himself and can choose what music they want to compose. The positives of the free-lance system were freedom of choice in what they wanted to write. There were no punishments if they did not please their commissioner. Their music was more authentic when writing for themselves. The negatives of the free-lance system were no guaranteed work or steady income. Composers would have to take care of their lodgings and meals. They would also have to find musicians to play their music and promote it. Freelancing also caused composers to be financially responsible.

Amadeus Mozart used the patron system at the beginning of his career. His patron was the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. When he left Salzburg for Vienna, Mozart began to use the free-lance system. He also had a patron in Vienna—Emperor Joesph II of Austria. The free-lance system did not benefit Mozart financially. Mozart ended up in tremendous debt. Mozart did benefit from the free-lance system when it came to writing his music. More of his authentic pieces came from when he was in the free-lance system. The patronage system did benefit Mozart. The patronage system gave him stability financially. It also gave him work. Mozart is under the patronage of the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg and comes to Vienna. Mozart sees an opportunity in Vieanna and handles it diplomatically. Unfortunately, his arrogance leads to several problems. Notice the Emperor’s limited ability to critique Mozart’s opera. Mozart and Constanze were desperate. They were constantly in debt and borrowing from friends. Rosenberg tried to forbid the opera based on the loose idea of ballet in “The Marriage of Figaro.” He also trained the chorus poorly in hopes of sabotaging the opera. Serenade for winds 9. The Abduction from the Seraglio and the Magic Flute. The Emperor Joesph II of Austria commissions Serenade for Winds. Actor Schikanader commissions The Magic Flute.

In America, politics are a big deal. Someone’s political socialization can tell you about them and their beliefs. It can also make you look at someone different than you did before. It can also decide whether someone gets a job or not.

Political socialization is a process where someone acquires their political idealogy. According to Makeup Forum Ideology and Public Opinion, “ the process through which an individual acquires his or her political ideology” ( 1113 MAKEUP FORUM Ideology and Public Opinion). Political socialization also represents someone’s loyalty to a political party, like Democrats or Republicans. People contribute significantly to political socialization, New ideas, diversity, growth, and money. They also contribute to political campaigns and mass media. There would be no political socialization without the people contributing to these parties.

When deciding on ideology, who people should vote for, and choose your political party. Families are the most significant influence, followed by mass media, race, religion, friends, etc. People grow up in a household listening to what their parents like, hate, and love about the government. They also hear them talk about who they will vote for and what party is the right for this country. Although, People don’t want to disappoint their families by choosing the opposite party. Race and Religion have the subsequent most considerable influence when it comes to political ideology. Public opinion is also a significant factor when it comes to voting. Makeup Forum Ideology and Public Opinion state, “ If you are uninformed, you are less likely to participate other than to follow charismatic leader” ( 1113 MAKEUP FORUM Ideology and Public Opinion). The influence of not knowing anything about the government or policies will cause people not to participate in voting. 

In America, politics are a big deal. Someone’s political socialization can tell you about them and their beliefs. Influencing and informing people on certain things involving politics is critical to having people understand our ideology vote choices better.

My little brother Sebastian has so much potential and a great future ahead of him. In the fall, he will be attending the University of Nebraska Omaha to play basketball. This is only one of the goals in his life that he has accomplished, and many more he has set to conquer.

Sebastian is a very determined individual and a hard worker. I believe he will do great things in the future. Sebastian reminds me a lot of me when I sit back and watch him grow as a young adult. We both have a lot of the same tendencies and think alike. This is probably because we are with each other so much and we are close in age.

I am truly blessed that my best friend is my little brother. Not many people can say that their sibling is their best friend. So, that makes me cherish our relationship. At the end of the day, family will always be there for you, no matter what.

Sebastian is a person that you can rely on no matter what. He is never late for anything and always does what he is supposed to do. The reason why I named this article in my blog young king is because Sebastian is a king. He has every trait a king has. Leadership, loyalty, integrity, determination, and highly intelligent.