Understanding corporate rumors and the psychology of rumor spread on environmental issues (2018)

Environmental responsibility has been deemed a pillar of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by companies across different industries. According to research, corporations ranging from the traditional (automobile and pharmaceutical) to the new (information technology) are striving to be environmentally-friendly. Rumors related to the environment can be especially deceptive and infectious. The public can be baffled by environmental issues that usually involve certain levels of scientific knowledge making them susceptible to rumors of this kind more than other types of rumors. Environmental issues are usually highly controversial due to their grave impact on health, thereby stimulating productions of rumors among publics who are already experiencing uncertainty and anxiety. Failing to properly handle environment-related rumors that can go viral within hours on social media could be catastrophic to corporate success and survival.