The West wakes up to the disinformation threat
Western governments and industry leaders are now pivoting to take on the threat by opening up a new front in the disinformation front:
- major firms often monitor social media for hostile narrative
- some mining companies are hiring specialists (eg ex-military or intelligence analysts) to identify bot networks, fake accounts, and a mounting online crisis
- proactive community engagement, to take the initiative in the information space
- pursue legal takedowns, and flagging content as defamatory or dangerous
High-level officials in the US and EU who we’ve spoken to (off-the-record) say they are aware of the threat and it is being taken seriously — especially now with the latest efforts by the Trump administration to secure critical mineral supply. Yet, the truth is that most firms remain ill-prepared.
Investment risk and cost of fake news
- For mining investors and companies, the implications are stark: disinformation is no longer just a PR nuisance, but is a material risk to operations, assets and market capitalizations
- And, for governments, particularly across the West, delayed or cancelled projects due to protests or political influencers, can threaten long-term supply chains and national security.
- There are also other potential knock-on effects, including possible insurance premiums for doing business in “disinformation-prone” jurisdictions; investors reluctant to finance possible controversial projects; as well as corporate reputational damage.
