Adverse media screening is critical for determining whether an individual or an organization is a liability and whether they might jeopardize your company’s security. Many businesses are still using outdated methods for adverse media monitoring, including manually searching and analyzing large quantities of content each day. In this blog, we explore the importance of adverse media screening and how advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and natural language processing can offer more depth and accuracy.
What is Adverse Media and Why Should it Be Monitored?
Adverse media, often referred to as negative news media, is any type of undesirable information about your potential client or customer. This information can be discovered in a wide range of sources, including both conventional outlets and unstructured sources.
Sources of Adverse Media:
- Newspapers and magazines
- TV or radio news programs
- Social media networks
- Online forums
- Personal and commercial blogs
- YouTube
- Databases
- Publicly available court records
Adverse media screens serve as a vital form of risk assessment, allowing you to determine whether an individual or organization is a liability. Most specifically, they help identify connections to risky behavior or criminal activity, including:
- Money laundering
- Financial fraud
- Drug trafficking
- Human trafficking
- Fraud
- Sexual or violent abuse
- Organized crime
- Terrorism
These illicit connections can endanger a business’s reputation and may result in legal ramifications, particularly in regulated industries like finance, insurance, and law.
The Drawbacks of Conventional Adverse Media Monitoring
Historically, companies monitored adverse media using manual methods. Analysts would search for an individual’s or organization’s name on a search engine and analyze each relevant news article. Once found, analysts would cross-reference this information with the client’s personal details to assess whether it presented a risk.
This manual method is not only time-consuming but also highly inefficient. With the rise of fake news and an overwhelming amount of content being produced daily, it becomes increasingly difficult to identify legitimate sources and ensure comprehensive monitoring. Moreover, content in different languages, or from overlooked media sources, can fall through the cracks, putting your business at risk.
Why You Should Automate Your Adverse Media Screening Process
Thankfully, businesses no longer need to rely on manual methods. Automated adverse media screening has revolutionized this process, offering greater ease, accuracy, and efficiency.
Automated solutions deliver curated material from around the world, offering real-time feedback and continuously updated content. The integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and natural language processing (NLP) has further enhanced the depth and accuracy of adverse media software.
Key Advantages of AI and Machine Learning:
- Machine learning algorithms scan news sources at unrivaled speeds with accuracy.
- AI helps identify whether a name is linked to criminal activity or simply referenced in a news source, determining whether the content is positive or negative in nature.
- NLP analyzes vast amounts of natural language data, including foreign-language content, to expand the reach and depth of the screening process.
How RISKSECURE Can Help
RISKSECURE, by NGA Systems, is an AI-powered adverse media software that takes monitoring to the next level. With patented Adverse Media COMFORT™ score technology, it provides the first contextually accurate score of its kind, rating individuals or companies based on their digital footprint risk.
Key Features of RISKSECURE:
- Reduces false positives by 90%.
- Delivers 6 times faster review times.
- Includes a specialized category to determine whether an entity has been cleared or exonerated.
- Identifies connections to political or prominent individuals that could pose risks.
RISKSECURE not only streamlines your adverse media screening but also uncovers deeper risks, helping businesses make more informed decisions.
To reduce risk and fast-track your adverse media research, explore our Adverse Media solution or request a demo by contacting our professional team.