📬 Mailbag: How should brands talk about security threats from abroad without sounding xenophobic?
Mailbag questions are submitted anonymously by our readers. Submit your own question for our team at discernibleinc.com/blog.
When it comes to foreign-based security threats, we all live in glass houses and are subject to the laws of our respective countries, be they just or not, democratic or not. Governments have allies and enemies, and they often expect the businesses they regulate to support their position on international relations. This can make it difficult for brands who seek to balance patriotism and legal compliance with protecting their company and customers against security threats.
The way we communicate about these threats matters because today’s brands are increasing multinational, so even the perception of xenophobia can have serious consequences when you have customers, employees, and regulators all over the world. Businesses are often put in the difficult position of harmonizing global values and cultures even when our governments fail to do so.
The most important thing to remember is that when it comes to security, we can’t separate business from geopolitics. What we perceive as a threat from abroad is based not only on the government or law enforcement agencies we and our own governments trust at any given moment, but also who expects us to support their position due to political alliances or business deals.
So how do we avoid xenophobia in the way we communicate about security threats, knowing that many, if not all of them contextual and rooted in politics just as much as technology?
Focus on the Threat, Not the Group
Fear is the foundation of hate, so be careful where you focus your concern. It’s lazy and xenophobic to blame an entire population for the actions of their government or organized crime syndicates (sometimes one in the same). Even if you believe a foreign government agency or regime is responsible for a specific security threat or campaign, be thoughtful in your language and focus on the threat. Don’t fall for naming entire populations of people as shorthand for the much smaller group of individuals responsible.
Use Specific Examples
Specific examples help your audience understand the nature of the threat and why it’s important to be aware of it. For example, instead of simply saying, “consumers face significant security threats from the United States,” you could say, “due to concerns about whether U.S. intelligence services will respect the human rights of individuals from other countries, numerous governments have declared on multiple occasions that all data transfers to and from their country to the United States must stop, significantly impacting operations for even the largest and wealthiest American companies.”
Explain the Context
Don’t forget that governments can be engaged in severe conflicts even when their citizenry are not – and research shows that fewer and fewer consumers are closely following geopolitical events. Therefore, to the extent possible, explain the political constraints, influence, and perspective that factor into how you identify, define, and mediate security threats.
Got your own security communications question you want answered? Submit it at discernibleinc.com/blog.
