Brazil’s riots highlight the need for a global antidote to disinformation
). In many others, political organizations with radical views gain ground by manipulating the public’s emotions, triggering revolt and indignation by falsely taking news events and political statements out of context. The truth is that no country, however advanced and developed, is immune to this virus, which corrodes truth, plurality, respect for adverse opinions and, therefore, the otherwise friendly co-existence of opposites – the basis of any democratic society.
The logic of such a pact is simple. Just as climate change is the biggest threat to the Earth’s physical health, so is the disinformation epidemic the greatest threat to the mental health of its billions of inhabitants. Its potential consequences, ranging from the erosion of democracies to a nuclear confrontation, are as – or possibly more – catastrophic than those of climate change.
Journalism is far from perfect but, as seen during the pandemic, it is still the best antidote – giving voice to reliable sources, re-establishing the truth and correcting falsehoods that circulate on social media and messaging services. Although it represents an advance, such legislation is not an achievable solution for most of the planet. In dozens of countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, governments would not like to see a strengthened press with more plurality, diversity and an investigative capacity that’s able to confront them. On the contrary, autocracies and even immature democracies often work to weaken and intimidate a free press instead of making it an increasingly loud and independent voice.
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