The federal government announced and subsequently aborted the creation of monitoring for transactions via Pix above R$ 5,000 for individuals and R$ 15,000 for companies, a measure aimed at combating tax evasion. The decision generated a strong negative reaction, driven by misinformation, such as that aired in a video by deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), highlighting the impact of fake news on communication, social behavior, and even public policies, such as the decrease in Pix usage and the withdrawal of the measure.
To address these issues, it is essential to highlight initiatives and tools to combat misinformation and reinforce the importance of critical consumption of information, both individually and institutionally.
According to Antônio Rocha Filho, a Journalism professor at ESPM, it is not the first time that major events have been impacted by misinformation. “One of the most well-known episodes occurred during the 2016 American elections when information circulated that Pope Francis was allegedly supporting Donald Trump’s candidacy against Hillary Clinton, which was later debunked.”
The advancement of technology and the use of artificial intelligence further amplify the possibilities of misinformation propagation. According to Rocha Filho:
“The advancement of artificial intelligence tools has exacerbated the spread of misinformation, with manipulated contents such as fake voices and images surpassing the capacity for fact-checking. This scenario is aggravated by Meta’s recent decision to suspend fact-checking in the USA and by the lack of progress in regulation in Brazil, such as the fake news bill in Congress. Combating this requires media education, promoting critical thinking from basic education, and efficient regulation to mitigate impacts, especially in the political sphere.”
Ricardo Gandour, researcher and journalism professor at ESPM, adds:
“The fragmentation of communication has intensified in the last 10 years. On one hand, we have the healthy universalization of access to information. On the other, the dangerous spread of manufactured information to confuse, posing a risk to institutions and democracy.”
The data from the 21st edition of the Political Panorama survey by the DataSenado Institute reinforce the seriousness of the problem. The survey revealed that 72% of social media users in Brazil have come across news they consider false in the last six months, an alarming statistic on the eve of the 2024 municipal elections. Additionally, half of the respondents stated they struggle to identify fake content, highlighting the need for more media education.
