The rise of deepfakes seriously threatens brand trust and reputation. As these manipulation technologies become more advanced, businesses must stay ahead and alert to potential damage and misinformation. To prepare for this new wave of digital deceit, companies need to be informed and alert to their vulnerabilities. Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to create realistic videos, audio or images of people appearing to say or do things they never did. The easy availability of this technology amplifies the potential for disinformation to go viral, with devastating effects on business. Such fraud increased worldwide by over tenfold from 2022 to 2023.
Companies need to address the following in their 2025 strategic plans:
- Rapid Response Planning –Respond decisively. Start with an official statement from the targeted person that debunks falsehoods. Any deepfake social media video should be followed by a response video setting the record straight.
- Cyber Reputation Plan – Identify a trusted third-party reputation service to track the digital footprint of the culprit and delete files off hosted platforms. Our partner Digijaks uses forensic data online to combat deepfakes and beef up web security to prevent future issues.
- Legal Advisor Recommendations – New laws are addressing the prevalence of deepfakes, enabling politicians, celebrities, businesses or individuals to take action against deepfake creators and distributors.
- Crisis Communications Planning – Transparency and education counter deepfakes. Customers are aware of the potential for misinformation and, when warned, are more likely to scrutinize the content and trust verified sources. Make this a priority for 2025 planning.
- Digital Identity Security – Companies today need a consistent and recognizable digital presence more than ever before and now have the means to protect videos, images and other digital assets. Watermarking and similar security measures ensure authentic content across communication channels with provable traceability, thus bolstering trust and identifying deceptive content.
The potential for a deepfake attack puts every business on watch and ready for instant response. Don’t fall asleep in the foxhole.
P.S. The OWC podcast on deepfakes was generated using NotebookLM AI. Click on the above image to check it out.
IN THE NEWS
OWC is up for a PRism Award!
Olmstead Williams Communications has been named a finalist for the 60th Annual PRSA Los Angeles PRism Awards for our work on “Giving a Voice to Heart Recovery with the World’s Smallest Heart Pump.” We are honored to be recognized in the EARNED Media Relations – Healthcare category. Winners will be announced on Thursday, October 24, at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Koreatown.
OWC Gives Back to the Community
OWC Executive Vice President Wes Robinson recently participated in PRSA-LA’s “Quality Time with PR Minds,” offering strategic insights to nonprofits on promoting their causes and amplifying their impact. He also served as a guest lecturer at Monrovia High School, teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs about the dynamic world of public relations.
OWC secures coverage for Nuvve
OWC secured coverage for Nuvve, a global leader in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, in Microgrid Knowledge. The publication highlighted the growing role of V2G technology and Nuvve’s initiative with the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC) to power EOC’s operations and electrify the commission’s fleet. Read the full article here.
