Falsehoods about mail-in voting. Distortions about where to vote and when polls are open. Allegations of ballot dumping. 

This week, COVID in Context is looking at how brands can respond to misinformation, the second challenge facing us this election.

Misinformation is not a new concern this year, but it’s a more challenging one. Many voting rules have changed due to the pandemic (prompting hundreds of voting-related lawsuits), foreign governments have become more skilled at infiltrating and spreading disinformation within the country, and social media platforms have lagged in developing policies to prevent misinformation from being shared.

The best counter: accurate, vetted information. The bipartisan National Task Force on Election Crises recommends two ways brands can help promote legitimate sources of election information: 

• Provide employees with verified information directly from local officials.
• Amplify trusted voices through company communications and social media. 

For election information from state and local officials, visit Trusted Info 2020 by the National Association of Secretaries of States – a central hub of information and resources from the people running our elections.

Next week: how early returns could create Election Night chaos.