In May this year, rumours of disappearing genital parts in the Shire Valley triggered mob violence that left seven people dead.
Government deployed senior officials to restore order.
That tragedy was not folklore gone wrong, but the real-world cost of disinformation.
Fake news is no longer a mere digital nuisance; it is a grave threat to national safety, social cohesion and development.
In today’s hyper-connected age, volatile narratives are shared instantly.
So, public relations (PR) is no longer just about managing positive publicity, but also defending institutional integrity and public trust.
Internet penetration in Malawi hovers at around 53 percent, according to the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.
A single fabricated voice note shared on social media can outpace an entire institution PR machinery.
PR practitioners in government agencies and enterprises have a central role to safeguard public trust.
A coordinated, functional government PR and communication machinery is vital to curbing fake news.
Red flags
Fake news is fabricated content disguised as legitimate news to deceive for political, financial or ideological gain.
This differs from misinformation (false information shared unknowingly or without intent to harm) or disinformation— false information deliberately created and weaponised to cause harm.
Misinformation is a mistake, while fake news and disinformation are intentional deceptions.
Unchecked rumours shape public opinion, incite civil unrest and paralyse policy implementation.
Fake news does not spread in a vacuum. It exploits both systemic vulnerabilities and human psychology.
When government delays communication during emerging issues, it creates an information vacuum that rumours rush to fill.
The modern media ecosystem rewards speed over verification and the digital media allows anyone to bypass traditional editorial gatekeepers.
In times of uncertainty, people gravitate toward sensational narratives that confirm their biases.
Emotionally charged falsehoods that trigger fear and anger spread exponentially faster than nuanced truths.
Red flags include emotive content designed to provoke panic rather than inform; anonymous posts vaguely attributed to “unnamed senior officials” or unverifiable documents; sensational headlines with urgent calls to share immediately; and recycled visuals presented as current crises.
When left unchecked, individuals and organisations spend valuable time debunking fabrications instead of communicating developmental milestones. Campaigns for critical public initiatives are derailed and institutional credibility takes a hit that can take years to rebuild.
Economically, falsehoods trigger panic buying and market instability as do rumoured fuel shortages or currency devaluation. Socially, they provoke public safety crises such as vaccine hesitancy.
Some divert critical State resources and security personnel away from development work, as did the Lower Shire myth.
Public relations in action
PR practitioners have a critical role to stop these falsehoods.
1. Eliminate the vacuum: Leverage the Access to Information Act, which mandates proactive disclosure. Routinely publishing data, project updates denies rumours the space to grow.
2. Respond with speed and evidence: Fake news quickly becomes a full-blown crisis if not handled decisively, so PR practitioners must act swiftly and think clearly. Evidence-based official statements from relevant authorities help control the velocity of false narratives.
3. Engage respected voices: Independent analysts to validate factual economic or social data.
4. Master the narrative: PR officers must stay abreast of developments beyond their institutional boundaries. Beyond government, invest in public media literacy so that citizens can question, verify and stop sharing before harm is done.
5. Building trust: To outpace coordinated disinformation, isolated institutional efforts are no longer enough. Government must establish a centralised, highly coordinated PR and communication machinery with a built-in crisis plan.
The centre of truth will help the State shift from firefighting to trust-building, ensuring the official narrative is defined by verifiable progress, not viral panic.
The author is a PR and Strategic Communications Consultant at Africomms Consult. He shared these insights at the recent training workshops for PROs in government and State-owned enterprises in Salima.
