Social media, disinformation, and regulation of the electoral process: a study based on 2018 Brazilian election experience
| Autor | Gustavo Ferreira Santos |
| Cargo | Professor de Direito Constitucional da Universidade Católica de Pernambuco e do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Direito da mesma universidade (Recife-PE, Brasil) |
| Páginas | 429-449 |
Licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons
Licensed under Creative Commons
Social media, disinformation, and regulation of the electoral
process: a study based on 2018 Brazilian election experience*
Redes sociais, desinformação e regulação do processo eleitoral:
um estudo baseado na experiência eleitoral brasileira de 2018
GUSTAVO FERREIRA SANTOS I, **
I Universidade Católica de Pernambuco (Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil)
gustavo.santos@unicap.br
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3790-3604
Recebido/Received: : 02.01.2020 / January 2nd, 2020
Aprovado/Approved: 17.10.2020 / October 17th, 2020
Revista de Investigações Constitucionais
ISSN 2359-5639
DOI: 10.5380/rinc.v7i2.71057
Rev. Investig. Const., Curitiba, vol. 7, n. 2, p. 429-449, maio/ago. 2020. 429
Como citar esse artigo/How to cite this article: SANTOS, Gustavo Ferreira. Social media, disinformation, and regulation of the
electoral process: a study based on 2018 Brazilian election experience. Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, Curitiba,
vol. 7, n. 2, p. 429-449, maio/ago. 2020. DOI: 10.5380/rinc.v7i2.71057.
* This study was nanced in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance
Code 001.
** Professor de Direito Constitucional da Universidade Católica de Pernambuco e do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Direito da
mesma universidade (Recife-PE, Brasil). Doutor em Direito pela Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Mestre em Direito pela
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. E-mail: gustavo.santos@unicap.br.
Abstract
There is global concern about the impact that ‘fake news’
has on democratic decision-making processes. Demo-
cratic decision-making needs to be well informed and
voters need a minimum of condence in the informa-
tion they receive about competitors. The Internet has
increased the availability of information, but has allowed
new ways of manipulating it to emerge. In recent elector-
al experiences, social media has increased the impact of
misinformation on democracy. These experiences have
shown us that Internet governance during the election
campaign is an urgent issue. A laissez-faire approach to
the electoral process is a threat to democracy because it
allows all kinds of cheating. Institutions responsible for
ensuring the integrity of elections need to try democratic
resources to constrain competitors to behave responsi-
bly. It is important to know the concrete experience of
Resumo
Existe uma preocupação mundial com o impacto que as
“fake news” têm nos processos democráticos de tomada de
decisão. A decisão democrática precisa ser bem informada
e os eleitores precisam de um mínimo de conança em rela-
ção às informações que recebem sobre os concorrentes. A
internet aumentou a disponibilidade de informações, mas
permitiu o surgimento de novas maneiras de manipulá-
-las. Nas recentes experiências eleitorais, as mídias sociais
aumentaram o impacto da desinformação na democra-
cia. Essas experiências nos mostraram que a governança
da Internet durante a campanha eleitoral é uma questão
urgente. Uma abordagem de laissez-faire no processo elei-
toral é uma ameaça à democracia porque permite todos os
tipos de trapaça. As instituições responsáveis por garantir
a integridade das eleições precisam tentar recursos demo-
cráticos para constranger os concorrentes a adotarem um
GUSTAVO FERREIRA SANTOS
Rev. Investig. Const., Curitiba, vol. 7, n. 2, p. 429-449, maio/ago. 2020.
430
CONTENTS
1. Introduction; 2. Data collection and analysis and other methodological issues; 3. The specicity of
the electoral period in a constitutional democracy; 4. Brazilian model of organization of the electoral
process; 5. The presidential elections of 2018 and disinformation; 6. The Brazilian Electoral Justice and
the “ght” against disinformation in social media; 6.1. Higher Electoral Court deciding lawsuits by po-
litical parties and candidates over disinformation; 6.2. Higher Electoral Court supervising the electoral
process; 7. What lessons can we draw from the experience? 8. Conclusions; 9. References.
1. INTRODUCTION
Globally, democracies are being impacted by intentional processes of dissemi-
nation of false information over the Internet. This happens concomitantly with a pro-
cess of declining democratic beliefs and growing authoritarian discourse. Misinforma-
tion campaigns weaken institutions and fuel this process of democratic decay.
The lie has always been present in politics. However, the reach and speed of
the Internet have increased concerns about it. An occasional problem, which aected
institutions only in specic places and opportunities, became a structural threat to de-
mocracy itself. While eroding condence in institutions such as parliament, parties, and
the media, misinformation campaigns also deepen ideological divisions, polarize and
radicalize societies.
Misinformation campaigns are not only a problem for democratic institutions,
but also reach businesses, churches and other institutions as well as individuals. Ne-
vertheless, there are specicities in the democratic process that require urgent solu-
tions, and election periods should be observed more closely. Reliable information is a
fundamental resource for democracy. In a democracy, the period of the electoral cam-
paign requires special attention focused on protecting the conditions of the debate.
False information spreads very quickly and can be decisive for voter choice. This cam-
paign time limitation requires more eective tools to avoid or minimize the impacts of
misinformation.
Currently, electoral processes are impacted by the use of an enormous amount
of data on the Internet. Big data is an essential tool for political marketing strategies
a country that has suered the attack of disinformation
campaigns during an election period, studying the action
of the body responsible for organizing this process. This
article discusses the guarantee of the electoral process
based on the case study of the 2018 Brazilian election.
Keywords: social media; internet governance; media reg-
ulation; democracy; electoral process.
comportamento responsável. É importante conhecer a ex-
periência concreta de um país que sofreu o ataque de cam-
panhas de desinformação em período eleitoral, estudando
a ação do órgão responsável pela organização desse pro-
cesso. Este artigo discute a garantia do processo eleitoral
com base no estudo de caso da eleição brasileira de 2018.
Palavras-chave: redes sociais; governança da internet;
regulamentação dos meios de comunicação; democracia;
processo eleitoral.
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