Navigating the Impacts of Fake News on Business and Trust

A fast-moving lie can do more damage to a company’s reputation than a slow, careful truth can fix. Executives who think fake news is just a political problem are underestimating its reach and cost. Patrick Haack, professor of strategy and responsible management at HEC Lausanne, explains why traditional responses like silence or fact-checking aren’t enough. He outlines what companies should be doing instead: building credibility in advance, monitoring for signs of virality, and enlisting outside allies to push back. It’s a playbook designed not just to correct the record but to protect trust before it erodes. Haack is coauthor of the HBR article “How to Counter Fake News.”