Q COSTARICA — A single false post on social media can cost millions. Literally. This is demonstrated by the most recent report from the global firm LLYC, entitled “Misinformation Causes Real Losses: How to Protect Companies from Reputational and Financial Damage.”
The study warns that this phenomenon is neither future nor alien: it is a current, tangible risk that affects all countries, including Ecuador.
LLYC begins with a shocking case: on April 7, a false post on social media claimed that the United States would suspend tariffs for 90 days, excluding China. In less than half an hour, the S&P 500 index gained US$2.4 trillion in value, only to plummet when the rumor was denied by the White House.
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The source: anonymous posts amplified by unverified media outlets. The result: global financial chaos.
The problem, as LLYC points out, is that we are no longer dealing with simple rumors. With artificial intelligence, disinformation has become scalable, automatic, and much more persuasive.
Deepfakes, cloned audio, and other artificial content are increasingly difficult for the human eye to detect and spread at breakneck speed. Even worse, they often appeal to fear or chaos, generating an immediate and poorly thought-out emotional reaction.
The report cites chilling data: disinformation is estimated to generate losses of US$78 billion annually worldwide, US$39 billion due to stock market volatility alone. But it’s not all about Wall Street. In Latin America, organized campaigns have attempted to undermine confidence in central banks and manipulate foreign exchange markets. In the United Kingdom, 60% of bank customers would be willing to withdraw their money after seeing a fake news story about their bank. Could the same thing happen in Ecuador if someone spread the alleged closure of a local financial institution with a fake audio?
Given this scenario, LLYC’s call is clear: protecting companies is not just a communication action, but a survival strategy. Brands must invest in monitoring, algorithmic verification, crisis simulations, and strategic communication. It’s not a question of “if” it will happen to them, but “when.”
Journalists have an unavoidable role: verify before publishing, contrast sources, and avoid amplifying rumors for likes or scoops. And as citizens, we must develop critical thinking: if a story alarms us too much or spreads too quickly, it’s probably not true.
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In a world where perception can move markets, destroy reputations, or generate collective panic, the truth is more fragile than ever. But also more valuable. Let’s protect ourselves with data. Let’s resist with judgment. And let’s all defend trust as the most valuable asset in our society.
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