Populism: Fake news, Social Media and else…

On Social Media everyone can post, barely any filters applied, and neither the source nor the reliability of information can easily be tracked. The louder the voice and the more often we read the same story, the more reliable information feels. But is it really true what we read?

How social platforms enable far-right politicians’ campaigns to undermine democracy

At the inauguration of Brazil’s new far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, in early January, a crowd of his supporters began a surprising chant. They weren’t cheering for Bolsonaro or his running mate or their party; instead, they were reciting the names of social media platforms.

“Facebook, Facebook, Facebook!” the crowd yelled. “WhatsApp, WhatsApp, WhatsApp!”

They were crediting the platforms with their man’s victory, and they aren’t entirely wrong. During the campaign, a conservative pro-business interest group funded a massive disinformation campaign on WhatsApp (the popular messaging app owned by Facebook). False and damaging information about Bolsonaro’s left-wing opponent, including fake news mocked up to look like neutral fact-checks, spread like wildfire in the runup to the October 8 vote. This deluge, according to one Brazilian expert, played a role in Bolsonaro’s victory.

Click here to read the full article from Zack Beauchamp, a senior correspondent for vox.com, about the influence of Social Media on today’s society.

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