Algoritmos contra a desinformação: potenciais e limitações do chatbot Fátima do portal Aos fatos na Identificação de informações falsas

Abstract

This study investigates the role of algorithms in combating misinformation and their implications for contemporary journalistic mediation. The research is guided by the following central question: How does the chatbot “Fátima,” from the “Aos Fatos” platform, identify and classify false information? To what extent can these algorithms mitigate the adverse effects of misinformation on society? To address these questions, the main goal was to analyze the effectiveness of algorithms in detecting and confronting misinformation online. Specific objectives include describing the technologies employed by the “Fátima” chatbot, evaluating the accuracy of its responses in comparison to other AI tools such as Gemini (Google) and CoPilot (Microsoft), and reflecting on their application in journalistic practice. The methodology is based on exploratory netnography, enabling the observation of user interactions with automated systems. Four thematic axes were selected, using widely circulated hashtags as references. The theoretical framework draws on studies about digital platforms and social media (Prado, 2022; Recuero, 2024), misinformation and fact-checking (Spinelli & Santos, 2018; Santos & Maurer, 2020), and artificial intelligence in journalism (Ferrari, 2023). The findings indicate that, although algorithms are promising tools in the fight against misinformation, their technical and ethical limitations highlight the need for continuous human mediation.