Why "Do Nothing" Is Sometimes the Smartest Response to Online Misinformation

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A client contacted me recently, worried about misinformation spreading on Facebook in response to something they had posted. Their instinct was to correct the record, challenge the source, and set things straight.

My advice? Do nothing.

It sounds counter-intuitive. But for anyone responsible for managing an organisation's reputation online, understanding why silence is often the right call could be one of the most valuable communications lessons you learn.

The bot problem is bigger than you think

Before you respond to misinformation online, ask yourself: who — or what — are you actually responding to?

Meta removes hundreds of millions of fake accounts from Facebook every quarter. Despite this, fake accounts still represent an estimated 3–5% of Facebook's monthly active users, and new ones are created as fast as old ones are removed. A significant portion of the misinformation circulating on social media isn't coming from people with genuine grievances. It's coming from bots — and engaging with a bot doesn't correct the record. It feeds the algorithm.

Correcting misinformation can make it spread further

This is perhaps the most uncomfortable truth in modern communications strategy. Research published in 2023 by University College London and MIT found that even a single repetition of misinformation — including in the act of correcting it — fuels its further spread. The American Psychological Association reinforces this: exposure to misinformation increases the likelihood that people will believe it, which in turn increases the likelihood that they will spread it further.

In other words, your well-intentioned correction may be doing more harm than good.

The platform environment has got harder

In January 2025, Meta ended its partnership with third-party fact-checkers on Facebook, replacing them with a community notes model. Whatever you think of that decision, the practical effect is clear: the platform's own safeguards against misinformation have weakened. Organisations can rely less than ever on Facebook to intervene on their behalf.

So when should you respond?

The exceptions to the "do nothing" rule are narrow but real:

• If the misinformation poses an immediate public safety risk

• If it is gaining serious traction with a specific audience you have a duty to protect

• If it is being picked up by mainstream media and risks becoming an established narrative

In these cases, a carefully worded, evidence-based response directed at your own audience — not at the source of the misinformation — may be warranted. The goal is never to debate. It is to inform.

The strategic alternative

Rather than reacting, invest in your credible content. Consistent, authoritative communication builds the kind of trust that makes misinformation less likely to stick in the first place. Your reputation is your best defence — not your comment section.

Silence isn't weakness. In the right circumstances, it is the most strategically intelligent communications decision you can make.

Sources: Meta Transparency Report, Q4 2025: https://transparency.fb.com Vellani et al., 'The illusory truth effect leads to the spread of misinformation', Cognition, UCL & MIT, 2023: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10636596/ American

Psychological Association, 'How and why does misinformation spread?', 2024: https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/how-why-misinformation-spreads

Journal of Medical Internet Research, 'As Social Media Scales Back Fact-Checking', 2026: https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e95730/

Need help navigating a reputational challenge or building a communications strategy that holds up under pressure?

Tigris Consulting and Mediation works with organisations across sectors on strategic communication, reputation management, and crisis communications. Whether you're dealing with a live issue or want to build resilience before one arises, we can help.

Get in touch at: hello@tigrismanagement.com