SG Courts comms chief Patrick Nathan on combating ‘truth decay’ caused by disinformation

In today’s fast-paced and information-rich world, maintaining a positive public image and building trust are paramount for any brand - including the ones we don't conventionally think of as a "brand". In an opening keynote at PR Asia Singapore 2024, Patrick Nathan, chief communications officer and chief risk officer at the Singapore Courts said that public institutions also face their fair share of challenges, especially when it comes to disinformation.

Disinformation leads to 'truth decay' or the devaluation of truth in our societies and this is a fundamental threat to public institutions around the world today, said Nathan. These issues are often mitigated by fostering strong relationships based on trust with members of the public, and with internal and external stakeholders too.

"The role of the courts when it comes to combatting truth decay is first, refining our own internal processes and strategies, reaching out in terms of public education and outreach, and gaining public acceptance that we are engaged in the fair and honest quest for the truth" explained Nathan.

In the case of the courts, it is also critical there is a clear understanding of the role of the courts. They are not a front runner for social change nor are they agents of change or instruments for judicial activism. "We are here to simply say what the law is," said Nathan.

That said, below are some practical tips that can guide PR professionals in their mission to build trust, engage various audience segments, and elevate their organisation’s public standing.

1. Simplify complex information

When it comes to technical or legal terms and jargon, it may be particularly hard for the average person to understand these. To engage the audience effectively, communicators need to break down complex topics into clear, accessible content. According to Nathan, public institutions should perform stakeholder mapping carefully to identify the specific audiences they need to communicate with. They should also see themselves as "service providers" to their customers, stakeholders and members of the public.

In the case of the courts, "the most important thing that we want people to understand is that they have full access to justice, no matter their socio-economic background, their ability to speak the language or their fear that they may not be able to afford legal fees," said Nathan. Key messages such as these need to be communicated clearly and widely across a broad spectrum of channels.

When communicating your key messages, Nathan urged communicators to be consistent but at the same time, for these messages to be nuanced enough to be able to meet the needs of particular stakeholder groups. "The shades and the tones have got to be different as you reach out to different communities, but at the same time the strategic narrative has got to be consistent," he added.

2. Disseminate on the right platform

To build credibility and foster trust with the audience, brands and organisations must be open and transparent about their efforts and processes. Communicators must also be prompt in responding, especially to negative feedback or disinformation to mitigate potential damage to a brand's or organisation's reputation.

Given the many platforms out there, when it comes to engaging audiences, communicators can no longer just put information out there on digital and social media platforms. Instead, clear engagement is needed and understanding the media through which your messages can get through is crucial. For example, organisations are now actively using channels such as WhatsApp to push information to the communities that most need them.

3. Utilise data-driven insights

As organisations move further and deeper into social media, it is critical they invest in social media listening, said Nathan.

"With social media listening, we hope to get a better sense of the prevailing perceptions of the courts. We want to make sure that people get access to information, understand the processes and are able to navigate the wider legal system," said Nathan.

Social media listening often involves discovering the prevailing perceptions and, more importantly, misperceptions of the organisation. These discoveries translate as inputs to an organisation’s communications strategies and enterprise risk management framework. For a 360-degree view of the organisation, it is important that insights drawn from social media listening are also supported by customer feedback, polls and surveys.

"In terms of public education and outreach, we are working towards collecting feedback and really understanding what people say and feel about the courts, and then engaging as broad a community as possible in conversations and raising awareness on issues that are important to them," he added.