Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Deepfakes as Crisis Triggers: Experimental Evidence on Response Strategy Effectiveness, Responsibility Attributions, and Sharing Intentions
Volume
19
Issue
2
First Page
28
Last Page
52
Publication Date
7-2026
Abstract
The term deepfake refers to falsified media content created using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to manipulate audio, video, or images. Deepfake news fabrications are designed to appear highly realistic, making it difficult for audiences to distinguish them from authentic content. Responding to deepfake-induced reputational threats therefore presents a unique challenge for organizations. Despite the growing prevalence of deepfake technology, little experimental research has examined how different crisis communication strategies perform in mitigating the reputational and relational harm posed by deepfake-induced crises. Accordingly, this study seeks to (1) examine how exposure to deepfake news relates to public perceptions and affect toward organizations, (2) compare the relative effectiveness of five organizational crisis response strategies derived from crisis communication and conspiracy theory literature, and (3) explore how first- and third-person perceptions (FPP/TPP) relate to information-sharing behaviors in online and offline environments. Results indicate that three crisis response strategies were associated with reductions in perceived causal responsibility, shifts in perceptual and affective responses, increased third-person perceptions, and low er intentions to disseminate deepfake content. Discussion, limitations, and future directions are presented.
Publication Information
Mason, A. M., Laman, M., Glenn, T., & Meyers, T. A. (2026). Deepfakes as crisis triggers: Experimental evidence on response strategy effectiveness, responsibility attributions, and sharing intentions. Journal of Media Research, 19(2), 28. https://doi.org/10.24193/jmr.55.2.
Recommended Citation
Mason, A. M., Laman, M., Glenn, T., & Meyers, T. A. (2026). Deepfakes as crisis triggers: Experimental evidence on response strategy effectiveness, responsibility attributions, and sharing intentions. Journal of Media Research, 19(2), 28. https://doi.org/10.24193/jmr.55.2.
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