Hayley Goff, CEO at Whiteoaks International: “Crisis PR playbooks must work from the assumption that false information spreads fast, quite often before the truth. The rise of generative AI and deepfake technology has made it quicker and cheaper for bad actors to create and distribute fake content whether that be written, audio or video on a much larger scale. Social media helps spread this information at speed, often within a matter of hours. This puts customer trust, brand credibility and reputations at risk of damage, 24/7.

“As such, PR teams must be prepared to act decisively. Brands need to plan now by identifying the scenarios most likely to affect the business and prepare clear, audience-specific messages. While specifics will always depend on the crisis at hand, having a consistent set of clear, pre-agreed messages that align with core brand values make it easier to counter misinformation quickly. These narratives act as an anchor point helping to maintain control and protect reputation.

“Once there is internal alignment, the focus needs to shift externally. Monitoring all channels, preferably through a combination of AI and manual checks, is essential to identifying where threats could come from. Social listening tools enable brands to track keywords, hashtags and emerging themes which give early warning signs of falsehoods gaining momentum.

“Armed with this insight, businesses can issue timely, credible statements that offer clarity and reassurance. Delivering these messages via verified channels helps to confirm authenticity and ensures audiences are hearing directly from the source, an increasingly important factor in an era where trust is fragile and the line between real and fake is blurred.”

Kristen Ingraham, US managing partner of Clarity Global and a member of the Clarity Crisis Council: "As technology becomes more advanced, so too does the sophistication of cyberattacks. Today's most formidable cyber crises often manifest as deepfakes and misinformation, completely redefining the landscape of PR and social crisis preparedness and response.

“When navigating deepfakes and misinformation, it's crucial to acknowledge that social channels frequently serve as the initial breeding ground for these malicious attacks. Monitoring them can feel like a relentless game of digital whack-a-mole. However, a key shift has occurred: unlike verified crises of the past, these instances often do not demand a coordinated, external PR response or even an acknowledgement. The general public has become increasingly savvy about digital deepfakes, and with a healthy dose of skepticism, they tend to self-police misinformation and discredit its sources. This sentiment extends to traditional media channels, which is why most deepfakes rarely gain traction in mainstream media and no longer demand the same level of PR media management.

“The critical exception to this rule is when a deepfake compromises customer data. This generally occurs when the attack originates from a more concerning source: internal communications channels. We've observed that the most effective deepfakes impersonate c-suite executives and are disseminated via hacked emails to internal employees. For this reason, we strongly advise that the future of crisis PR should prioritise internal communications, then strategically expand outwards to external audiences, be they mainstream media, customers, or the general public."

Emma Streets, associate director head of North at Tigerbond: “Misinformation isn’t new and will already be factored into crisis plans as a general risk, but what we’re seeing now is that, as technology has evolved, it can take a personal format as deepfakes of high-profile individuals or business leaders have become increasingly convincing.

“Typically, you aren’t going to put a CEO in front of media for most crisis scenarios, however with deepfakes, you’d want a personalised statement delivered by the individual involved, if it is a CEO for example, to call it out and counter a false narrative that also matches the format of the fake.

“Many of the usual comms principles do still apply, consistent and clear communication across internal and external audiences are key. Seeking corrections and clarification of false information as quickly as possible is already crucial in reputation management, however having a monitoring process in place to report fake content across all key platforms becomes even more central to your response when it involves a named individual.”

Danielle Marks, practice director, corporate and responsible business practice at Brands2Life: “In our most recent Marketing in Transition research amongst 200 CMOs in Europe and the US, 67% of CMOs said they were concerned about this issue and a third said they were extremely concerned. 

“While the foundational principles of crisis communications remain the same in a rapidly changing landscape, a pivot is required to address the nuances driven by misinformation.

The need for businesses to guard against any legal ramifications is perhaps most crucial. To this end, legal representatives, who may previously have been optional members of a crisis response team, must now have a mandatory seat at the table.

“Any robust crisis communications plan should now feature verification protocols. And when used in the right way, AI can help you with this, deployed to check for inconsistencies and patterns. Speed is always of the essence in a crisis, but this becomes ever more important here. Teams have to be poised to deal with rapid escalations but must remember to pause, validate and fact-check before taking any important decisions.

“Prematurely putting members of the executive team forward for apologies is an error and those who act in haste will repent at leisure.  As ever, preparedness is key: continuous horizon scanning and proactive mitigation will stand businesses in good stead as they look to protect their future reputations.”

Jonathan Welsh, B2B business director at Tangerine: "Deepfakes and misinformation are no longer fringe risks; they're strategic vulnerabilities which are reshaping the rules of crisis communication.

“At Tangerine Crisis Lab, we’re seeing a marked shift in what clients are preparing for. It’s not just about speed but what will capture attention and what will fizzle out quickly. Leadership teams are waking up to the fact that a single manipulated video, a rogue AI-generated ‘leak’ or a viral fake post can destabilise trust faster than any factual error.

“In our simulations, we test how senior teams respond when truth is uncertain and judgment is under pressure. Most underestimate how paralysing it feels when you’re not sure what’s real.

“The new imperative is leadership tone, not just legal caution. Legal firms are trying to own this ground and while a strong legal counsel is a must, in this age of earned it's comms professionals who can see the bigger picture. That means embedding newsroom thinking via fast verification, decisive internal clarity and trusted messengers primed to act.

“Crucially, organisations must also resist the temptation to overreact. Misinformation feeds on emotion, let a solid strategy starve it."