How I Became the Ex-Wife of the Governor of the Bank of Latvia, or What to Do When False Information Is Spread About You

What is it like when people marry you off to the Governor of the Bank of Latvia, give you positions you have never held, credit you with someone else’s work, and invent all kinds of stories about you, only to confidently spread them online? I can tell you, because all of this is happening to me.

For context, for 21 years I have been a co-owner of Olsen+Partners (SIA PR Kvadrāts), one of the largest communications agencies in Latvia. Our campaigns have been recognized as the best in the world 12 times. No other agency in the Baltics has received as many awards in the world’s largest PR competition as we have. Relatively recently, we also received the Grand Prix, something no other Latvian organization had achieved in the 35-year history of this prestigious award.

And the more visible we become, the more fake news, speculation and pure fantasy about myself I read on X and on various websites pretending to do investigative journalism.

Communication on X is, of course, a literary genre of its own, where toxicity meets irresponsible populism and imagination. But that is exactly why I want to use these examples to discuss a question that more and more leaders and organizations are facing: when should you respond to negative and false information online, and when is it better not to react?

Example No. 1. How I Became the “Ex-Wife” of the Governor of the Bank of Latvia

Just another normal day for users of X. Everyone is outraged, of course. This time because strategic communication actually costs money. During a discussion about where this money could supposedly be better spent, one user points out that my agency has won a major public relations tender. Another asks: “Who is Olga married to?”

And then comes a brilliant piece of non-science fiction: “Ex-wife of Mārtiņš Kazāks from the Bank of Latvia, also a member of the Latvian Civic Alliance at Alberta Street 13, former board member.” And nobody seems bothered by the fact that the screenshot attached to the comment is about a completely different person. Logic is not required here.

Example No. 2. How I Became the “Grey Cardinal” of Latvia’s PR Industry

An X user who presents herself as a journalist gets into an emotional discussion about a press release that has absolutely nothing to do with my agency. Someone comments that you do not even need an agency to distribute a press release. Without checking anything, she replies: “I know you don’t. But I can see that the sender is not the association itself, but the agency Olsen...” Apparently, when a tweet has the potential to start a long discussion, facts are optional.

And I hope everything is clear now: nothing happens in Latvia’s communications industry without me!

Example No. 3. Positions and Contracts That Exist Only in Someone’s Imagination

During yet another wave of conspiracy theories, someone decides that if my office is located in a particular building, I must be connected to every other organization registered at the same address. Those of you who rent offices in large buildings might want to check who your neighbours are. God forbid one of them becomes unpopular with the X community!

But the real absurdity begins when interpretation is no longer enough and people start creating facts that simply do not exist. Without hesitation, I am given a position as a board member of a certain foundation that I have had nothing to do with for almost two years. This version is then dramatically spread by people who call themselves journalists and opinion leaders. And here is a very recent, almost funny example. A self-proclaimed investigative journalism website writes about my agency’s contracts. No, let me correct that. Our “countless contracts” with a public-sector organization we have never worked with.

There are many more examples. I would almost like life to be that simple, with influence and money coming from “exes” and positions rather than more than 21 years of hard work. Although, actually, I wouldn’t. The truth so far is very boring: the more and harder I work, the “luckier” I get. Everyone sees our wins, but nobody sees all the tenders and competitions that we do not win.

Of course, every commenter sees the world through their own values. If someone does not understand what honest work means, they may believe that the only way to achieve something is through corruption and connections.

What False Negative Publicity Tells You

X and the comment sections of news websites attract a particular kind of toxic audience: people for whom everything is always bad and everyone around them is a thief.

It is much easier to attack, invent stories and lecture others than to actually do something yourself. So there is no shortage of armchair experts, self-proclaimed journalists with no habit of checking facts, and politicians desperate to be noticed.

Social media today is not a reflection of reality. It is a place where reality is constructed and interpreted. Research shows that around 60% of links on social media are shared without even being opened. People are not necessarily looking for the truth. They are looking for emotions and confirmation of what they already believe.

That is why negative attention online is often a visibility tax. I would even suggest celebrating the first time it happens to you. It means you are becoming more influential and moving in the right direction.

After all, who cares about a nobody? No one. But as soon as you gain power and influence, someone will want to question it.

An Election Year and the Reality of Fake News

Let’s have no illusions. This is an election year, which means that people who have no achievements or real agenda of their own will continue to use visible and influential people to attract attention. It is simply the easiest way to get noticed. Research shows that all kinds of false news spread faster and more widely than the truth.

At my agency, we are regularly approached by leaders facing exactly this problem. So I want to share a few principles that can help you understand when you should respond to negative publicity online and how to do it, and when staying silent is the smarter choice.

When to Respond and When to Stay Silent

Before responding to a negative comment, honestly consider whether the criticism has any real basis. If it is justified and constructive, respond to the substance of the criticism. If necessary, apologize and explain how the mistake will be corrected. The ability to take responsibility is one of the key factors in building trust in a leader.

If it is simply an emotional reaction in the comments under one of your posts, a neutral response is often enough: “Thank you for sharing your opinion” or “Thank you for your concern.”

Research shows that an empathetic response can reduce the other person’s level of aggression. A simple phrase such as “I’m sorry you had this experience” can often stop a discussion before it turns into an aggressive conflict.

But you do not have to respond to everything. Always consider whether a particular piece of false information genuinely threatens your reputation, whether the source has a real audience, and whether your response might give the story more importance and visibility than it had in the first place.

Being loud does not make someone influential. You may simply be dealing with a troll whose goal is to provoke an emotional reaction from you. There is a reason for the old rule “don’t feed the troll”. In such cases, ignoring them is often the most effective strategy. Silence is also a message.

If you do respond, remember one important rule of online discussions: you are not really speaking to your opponent. You are speaking to the audience. Think of it like a courtroom, where an argument is made for the judge, not for the other side. Formally, you are responding to the critic, but your real audience is everyone else who will read the exchange.

And if there is an old issue that keeps coming back into the public discussion, use what I call the response spiral principle. Publish one clear and comprehensive explanation in one place. Every time the old story appears again without context, direct people back to that explanation.

Most importantly, calmly and without emotion ask yourself whether every piece of fake news or misinformation about you online deserves a response at all.

As Socrates famously said: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” 😉

Dr.Sc.Comm. Olga Kazaka, Partner at communications agency Olsen+Partners , author of "First PR book" , lecturer and speaker