Reputation management: tech threats and other trends
Amidst the rise of AI ‘deepfakes’ and general social unrest generated by political uncertainty, having a reputation management plan is paramount for high-profile individuals. Citywealth consults reputation management professionals on threats from tech, current trends and client concerns, best practice advice, and more.
Tech threats
Generative AI remains a significant concern, as deepfakes and phishing scams present a serious challenge to protecting one’s reputation. We asked the experts how reputation managers are shifting their services to fight on this new frontier. Is there technology currently in use or development that the industry can utilise to combat these threats? Or are existing approaches being adapted?
Emma Woollcott, Head of Reputation Protection and Crisis Management at Mishcon de Reya, said: “False and misleading content created and spread by generative AI, such as deepfakes and chatbots, is a growing concern. Sophisticated material is not only more credible and therefore more likely to cause damage, but it is also harder for platforms to pick up and block. Although technology to detect and counter deepfakes is evolving, and the law develops to try to keep pace, to a large extent it will be the speed and confidence of intelligent human responses that will protect clients moving forwards.”
Rachel Atkins, Partner and Head of the Legal Team at Schillings, emphasised the importance of both innovative and adaptive approaches. She said: “Existing approaches are being adapted: we’ve already brought a legal claim against an AI platform for false information being generated about a client that is creating a reputation and serious security risk. And we use our own tech-based intelligence tools to monitor these platforms for false allegations that can impact the reputations, businesses – or safety of our clients. The main thing is to push back on false AI responses – rather than just accepting it as a side effect of advances in technology. The more the platforms are told what’s true and what’s not, the less chance there is that false information can embed itself online and become the accepted narrative. Like with any form of media, it’s all about getting in there early and being proactive.”
Ryan McSharry, UK Head of Crisis and Litigation at international PR firm Infinite Global, said: “Misinformation and disinformation is one of the most significant reputational risks faced by UHNWIs. There are real fears around the potential impact of false narratives – fuelled by increasingly sophisticated AI tools. Tools and protocols are being developed to prove the veracity and provenance of ‘genuine’ communications and images (C2PA, TruePic etc.) but this all currently very nascent. In the meantime, effective communications support is needed more than ever to build and maintain trust and robustly defend reputations from damage through false claims and content.”
Client concerns
Fearmongering by the media makes it almost impossible to spend time on the internet without a concern capturing one’s attention. We asked what the current temperature of our experts’ clients is; how are they feeling and what common concerns are they bringing?
McSharry said: “In today’s era of heightened scrutiny, there is common anxiety around threats to privacy, targeted campaigns and instant cancel culture – all increased by the unprecedented speed at which information travels, spreads, and evolves in the digital realm.”
Woollcott affirmed that “[i]n these uncertain times, there is a lot of anxiety and defensive paranoia around.” In terms of concerns, she said: “We have seen a rise in de-banking, and a surge in employees and ex-lovers seeking to exploit sensitive or personal information for personal gain.”
Jess Alden, Associate Reputation Management Lawyer at Slateford, also commented on the rise of debanking concerns, attributing the Nigel Farage and Coutts issue as the attention draw, but noted that this has “been going on for years.” She added: “Rather than being a controversial politician the trigger for losing your bank accounts has typically been having the temerity to be a high net worth individual with a passport that’s frowned upon by bank compliance teams.”
Regarding other concerns, Alden said: “We see clients, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, acting on their frustrations that their country of origin and perceptions of business practices bear on their ability to trade and operate in western nations. It’s not helped by compliance teams and counterparty lawyers seeming to view everything from Russian kompromat to AI-generated blogs as suitable material to make decisions on people’s freedom to operate. Beyond that, the SLAPP debate has helped expose some awful practices of cookie cutter lawyering making tedious threats from precedents. We’ve seen the benefit of bringing highly bespoked strategy and approaches as agile advisers, focussed on precisely the points in issue, rather than blunt disputes over sensitive issues.”
Atkins said: “Clients really recognise the value of reputation and privacy. Mud still sticks and fiction becomes fact very quickly in the world we live in. Clients understand that their name is everything. No one can hide from rumours or smear campaigns anymore, especially where everyone is a publisher online and rumours spread like wildfire.”
“From a privacy point of view, the key concern is protection from data leaks – in particular, from advisers. From a reputation point of view, a common theme is how ready the press are to attack those that worked hard and had real drive to achieve their success – the tendency to build someone up only to knock them down, remains. Wealth is often viewed negatively in the current climate.”
Woollcoot expanded on the idea that the current climate is anti-wealth. She said: “UHNWs are under the spotlight like never before. The deepening cost of living crisis has fuelled the populist media’s, and the public’s, fascination with and distaste for individuals with substantial wealth and exclusive lifestyles. There is a growing concern around whistleblowing protections being abused or bypassed in order to publicly expose matters which may not have been scrutinised previously through internal processes and forensic investigations. This is not, of course, confined to UHNWs, but the targets tend to be people with profile and influence.”
When asked about what top-of-mind concerns those in the industry are abreast of that might not be so overt to those outside the industry, McSharry said: “In these turbulent times, UHNWIs continue to incorporate strategic philanthropy and CSR into their reputation management strategies. Engaging in meaningful charitable activities and contributing to social causes can help to enhance a public image, fostering a positive perception among the public and media.”
In response to the same question, Atkins said: “From my point of view, the key is to keep an eye on the court of public opinion as well as any courts of law. The moral pendulum does tend to swing.”
Overlooked advice
Finally, we asked the experts what their number 1 piece of advice is for UHNWIs, or fellow professionals, that is usually overlooked.
Emma Woollcott: “Be your own critical best friend, or bring one in. Look ahead, scan the horizon for potential threats, and look at issues from a range of perspectives, including the view of someone determined to undermine you. Reputational scrutiny can be extremely intrusive, and disruptive, so the more thinking you can do up front, with a clear mind, the better prepared you will be.”
Rachel Atkins: “There is always something you can do to protect reputation, privacy and security. These are not just some amorphous rights. There are steps you can take to stay on the front-foot to prevent a reputation crisis from developing in the first place. Don’t leave it to the last minute – preparation is key!”
Ryan McSharry: “No-one likes to talk about failure, but it only takes one mistake to ruin a reputation. Don’t underestimate the value in creating pre-emptive strategies to mitigate the impact of negative events or controversies, and enabling a swift and strategic response.”
Thank you to all of the professionals who contributed to this article.
Key Takeaways
- High-profile individuals require a reputation management plan due to the risks posed by AI deepfakes and misinformation.
- Generative AI exacerbates reputation threats, prompting professionals to adapt their strategies and leverage new technologies for defence.
- Clients express anxiety over privacy threats and the rapid spread of misinformation in today’s digital landscape.
- Experts advise proactive measures to anticipate risks and safeguard reputations from damaging narratives.
- Ultimately, creating pre-emptive strategies and remaining agile is crucial for successfully managing reputational challenges.
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