Building corporate immunity: how do companies increase their resilience to negative information in the environment of fake news?

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PurposeThis research explores the impact of trust in online information, parasocial interaction, online flow experience, sharing fake news and corporate credibility on companies’ resilience to negative information.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual research model was developed, employing the flow theory to fill gaps in the literature. A cross-sectional national online survey was conducted among 1,550 respondents aged 16–74 in an emerging market, utilizing a quantitative-based approach; the data were then analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsTrust in online information and parasocial interactions was found to impact the online flow experience, with parasocial interaction positively affecting it optimally. The sharing of fake news is affected by parasocial interaction and the online flow experience, which in turn affects corporate credibility.Originality/valueCorporate credibility is shown to be an antecedent of resilience to negative information and word-of-mouth communication in companies, the former having a direct influence on the latter. The study hence has significant theoretical and managerial implications for communication and marketing.