Associations and Fake News

Earlier this week at the ASAE CEO Symposium, we were asked a question about fake news. We wanted to share this exchange with you.

Question:

In your experience, to what extent if any have associations been impacted by the “fake news” phenomenon and society’s increasing inability to agree on an objective reality based on demonstrably provable facts?

Answer:

Every organization with a purpose is being effected to some degree. “Alternative facts” and “fake news,” however, are not an entirely new phenomenon.

For some time, the Internet has blurred the distinction between fact and opinion, accurate and unreliable, and true and false because it draws no distinction unless the poster declares it. Additionally, customization of one’s personal information feed has enabled folks to opt to receive only information that supports their existing predispositions. This insulation decreases objectivity and increases polarization.

Associations have always had to deal with untruths, rumors and unsubstantiated claims by disgruntled members. In some ways, associations are quite skilled at correcting misinformation within their own stakeholder populations.

We also observe that associations  are especially well suited to be the trusted intermediaries that help members sort the inaccurate from the accurate – especially as related to the subject arena with which the association and its members are engaged. The association is viewed as having no one but its member’s best interests in mind.

We observe that those associations best able to fill the role of a quality control intermediary do so by acknowledging and explaining all positions on an issue – even those that may differ from the position that it is advocating. Serving as a source of views that are held, descriptive analysis of all of those views sustains an association’s reputation for expert objectivity.