WEF LatAm 2018 takes on the fake news threat

How can Latin America prepare for the forthcoming elections in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia amid the potential threat of online misinformation and fake news?

Balancing freedom of expression with the need to protect voters from being misled and manipulated by disinformation campaigns was one of the topics addressed by a panel at the World Economic Forum on Latin America taking place in São Paulo.

"What we are seeing in Latin America and the rest of the world is an industrial machine that feeds through the democratic processes and is having effects," said David Alandete, managing editor at Spain's El País newspaper.

Brazilian business and civic entrepreneur Leandro Machado said he believes democracies are at risk with the rise of populism and the spread of misinformation. He cited an MIT study saying that humans, not bots, spread false news more quickly.

To Maria Cristina Frias, member of the board and columnist at Brazilian daily Folha de São Paulo - which recently dropped its content from Facebook - puts the onus on voters. "There's a distinction between fake news and distorted news, news that I just disagree with but which are not necessarily wrong."

Argentine senator Esteban Bullrich highlighted that democracy is not just built every two years in election, and urged voters to keep constant tabs on the actions of politicians. He praised the fact that many more people now are speaking out against fake news.

COUNTRIES GET READY

The fake news topic is on the top of the agenda of regulators and officials in Latin America, especially as the electoral calendar looms.

In Brazil, different initiatives are in place or being considered. The country's top electoral court TSE, together with an intelligence unit of Brazil's federal police, is setting up a task force to try to curb fake news ahead of the October 7 elections. Officials are even reportedly considering legislation to curb fake news.

In Mexico, electoral institute INE signed an agreement with Facebook to combat fake news and foster civic participation ahead of the July vote.

Pamela San Martín, electoral counselor at the INE, said the mechanism to counter fake news will not consist of deleting dubious content. Instead, Facebook will counter fake news by publishing "precise, valid, and objective information."

The 13th World Economic Forum on Latin America is gathering hundreds of representatives from the government, business and civil society of some 40 countries through Thursday.