Disinformation 
is now an 
enterprise-level 
risk

False, fast-moving, AI-enhanced narratives are more than a communications issue. In today’s information environment, they can quickly affect trust, governance, reputation and business resilience.

Edelman’s Counter-Disinformation Unit helps organizations identify, assess and respond to these threats with speed, judgment and trust. Our work combines crisis expertise, counter-disinformation specialists, AI-augmented workflows, state-of-the-art detection capabilities and Edelman’s long-standing research into trust.
 

Monitoring alone is not enough

Today’s information environment moves quickly. AI-generated content, deepfakes, coordinated amplification, and polarized audiences can turn a rumor or false claim into a business-critical issue fast.

Organizations need more than monitoring. They need to know what is credible, what matters, who may be affected and – crucially – how to respond in a way that protects trust.

Edelman’s Counter-Disinformation Unit is an expert advisory team that helps organizations prepare for, understand, and respond to misinformation, disinformation, manipulated media, and other harmful narrative threats. 

We support leaders before, during, and after high-risk moments, helping them make faster, better-informed decisions when trust is at stake.

How we help

Always-on resilience and preparedness

Our experts partner with you to assess your exposure to misinformation, disinformation, and adversarial narratives, develop robust pre-emptive and counter-disinformation playbooks, run bespoke training and immersive simulations, and implement proactive disinformation mitigation strategies.

Monitoring and signal interpretation

Working with Edelman's in-house monitoring and analysis team, as well as specialist partners, we identify emerging narrative threats, suspicious amplification, deepfakes, manipulated media, and high-risk conversation shifts.

Disinformation crisis assessment and response advisory

Once a threat or issue is identified, our team – supported by proprietary AI tools and workflows – helps you assess its severity, rapidly develop and pressure-test your response strategy, and execute that strategy across channels and audiences.

Defensive content development

We develop content following counter-disinformation best practice to avoid amplifying harmful narratives. Our advice is informed by Edelman’s proprietary trust research, helping organizations understand not only what is being said, but what will build or undermine credibility with the stakeholders who matter.

When organizations turn to us

Organizations consult the Counter-Disinformation Unit when they are facing or preparing for:

Gaps in crisis readiness or training relating to processes, roles, and decision-making for new kinds of narrative risks, misinformation, or disinformation.

False or manipulated claims targeting an organisation, brand, or senior executive.

Deepfakes, synthetic media, Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior (including bots), or suspicious online mobilization.

High-stakes moments such as transactions, restructurings, leadership changes or other events that may trigger heightened political, social, or commercial risks. 

Podcast

Circle of Trust: Why Information Integrity Is Now An Enterprise Risk

Oliver Hayes OBE, Edelman's Head of Counter-Disinformation for EMEA, speaks with Thomas Barton, Founder and Executive Director of the Council for Countering Online Disinformation (CCOD), about how AI is reshaping the information threat landscape for businesses.

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Insights and resources

Explore Edelman thinking on misinformation, disinformation, AI-driven risk, crisis resilience, and trust in a volatile information environment.

Our global leads

Edelman’s Counter-Disinformation Unit brings together senior crisis, digital, geopolitical, intelligence, and trust advisors across markets.

Lauren Greco

VP, Crisis & Risk
USA

Oliver Hayes OBE

EMEA Head of Counter-Disinformation
UK

Claas Gärtner

DACH Head of Counter-Disinformation
Germany

Jaskirat Singh Bawa

Senior Advisor, Risk & Issues Management
India
Request a briefing
Narrative threats can emerge quickly and escalate across audiences, platforms and markets. Whether you are preparing for a high-risk moment, responding to a live issue, or assessing your organization’s exposure, we can help.

FAQs

What does Edelman’s Counter-Disinformation Unit do?

Edelman’s Counter-Disinformation Unit helps organizations prepare for, assess, and respond to misinformation, disinformation, manipulated media, and harmful narrative threats.

What is a narrative threat?

A narrative threat is a false, misleading, manipulated, or hostile story that can affect trust, reputation, governance, stakeholder confidence, or business resilience.

How does Edelman help organizations respond to misinformation and disinformation?

Edelman helps organizations assess the credibility, reach, and potential impact of narrative threats, then develop response strategies, stakeholder messaging, and recovery plans.

Who should request a briefing?

Senior leaders responsible for communications, corporate affairs, crisis, risk, legal, compliance, public affairs, or reputation management may request a briefing.