A guerra da (des)informação: o papel das fake news durante o processo eleitoral presidencial de 2018

Abstract

The present work aims to analyze the use of fake news as a political tool during the 2018 Brazilian presidential electoral process, with the objective of producing misinformation and interfering in the elections, mainly concerning the two main presidential candidates at the time, Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and Fernando Haddad (PT). The research draws on Course Completion Papers, Doctoral Theses, Scientific Articles, and websites that address the topic of fake news and it’s implications in the 2018 elections. The chosen methodology is bibliographic analysis, seeking to understand the phenomenon of fake news from the origin of the concept to it’s role in the Brazilian electoral context. The study begins with a discussion on the concept of truth within the field of History, then addresses the neologism "fake news" and it’s interference in the 2018 elections. By analyzing the spread of fake news on the internet, the research identifies the main channels of dissemination, where fake news was most prevalent in terms of reach and influence, and which false stories stood out during the electoral process. It also examines which candidate was most benefited or harmed by the dissemination of fake news, as well as the efforts of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and other institutions to combat it. Furthermore, the study discusses the risks fake news poses to freedom of expression and, consequently, to the democratic process. Finally, the concept of post-truth is addressed. The study concludes that social media networks are the main environment for the proliferation of fake news, with WhatsApp being the most significant platform for dissemination. It was also found that individuals aligned with the right and far-right political spectrum were the main propagators of fake news, with candidate Jair Bolsonaro being the most benefited and Fernando Haddad the most harmed by it’s spread.