PUBLIC RELATIONS IN THE ERA OF FAKE NEWS: MANAGING MISINFORMATION AND PROTECTING CORPORATE REPUTATION

Abstract

The rise of fake news has become one of the most serious challenges facing public relations practice in the digital age. With the rapid spread of social media platforms and citizen-generated content, misinformation can circulate widely within minutes, often damaging the reputation of individuals and organizations before corrective information is released. This study examines how public relations practitioners manage misinformation and protect corporate reputation in an environment dominated by digital communication and fake news. The study adopts a qualitative and secondary data approach, drawing insights from academic literature, industry reports, and case-based evidence from both developed and developing economies, including Nigeria. Findings show that organizations now rely heavily on proactive communication strategies, media monitoring systems, fact-checking tools, and real-time crisis communication to manage misinformation. Foreign scholars such as Wardle and Derakhshan (2017) emphasize that misinformation spreads through emotional and algorithm-driven sharing patterns, making traditional PR responses less effective. Nigerian scholars such as Nwosu (2021) and Okoro (2020) also highlight that fake news significantly affects corporate trust and public perception in emerging digital markets. The study further reveals that organizations that engage transparently and respond quickly to misinformation are more likely to protect their reputation. However, challenges such as weak media regulation, low digital literacy, and limited institutional fact-checking capacity continue to worsen the problem in Nigeria and other African countries. The study concludes that public relations professionals must adopt digital intelligence, ethical communication, and strategic responsiveness to effectively manage fake news and safeguard organizational credibility in the digital era.