Fake News and Democracy on the Agenda for Swedish PR Professionals
Svensk PR, the Swedish PR Association and new PRCA partner, gathered around 200 PR and communicators earlier this spring in central Stockholm for the annual industry event, “Stora PR-dagen”. The 2024 conference theme was “truth, lies and consequences” with speakers from academia, media, PR agencies, and national authorities.
The participants explored different perspectives on truth, such as how fake news threatens democracy (the Danish researcher Johan Farkas), how globalisation and media complexity affect PR (Fiona Goldsworthy from Brands2Life), and how to use AI and networks to make a difference (Louise Barnekow from MyNewsdesk).
The conference also included very appreciated panel debates on topics such as PR's responsibility for democracy, media's power and vulnerability, and PR's adaptation to AI and social media.
The participants got an exclusive preview of a new survey by the research company Novus. It showed that most Swedes see fake news as a threat – and that journalists are influenced by disinformation.
The day ended with practical tips from Svensk PR on how to defend the truth, such as being clear about opinions and facts, checking sources, being transparent, and inviting pluralism.
Photos from Stora PR-dagen: https://svenskpr.se/bilder-stora-pr-dagen-1-feb-2024/
