Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and the Army will monitor fake news during the elections.
The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and the Ministry of Defense have created a working group to analyze the fight against cybercrimes in the 2018 elections; the Army may act in monitoring fake news, rumors disseminated on social networks with the potential to influence the election.
247 - The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and the Ministry of Defense have created a working group to analyze the fight against cybercrimes. The Army may act in monitoring fake news, rumors disseminated on social networks with the potential to influence elections. The matter was discussed today (25) in a meeting between the president of the TSE, Minister Gilmar Mendes, and the Ministers of Defense, Raul Jungmann; of the Institutional Security Office, General Sergio Etchegoyen, and of Justice, Torquato Jardim.
Minister Gilmar Mendes says there has been progress in monitoring fake news. According to Gilmar, the issue has interfered in several elections. The president of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) cited as an example the scandal in the last French presidential elections, known as Macron Leaks. The dissemination of rumors will also be discussed with electoral judges, and the Electoral Court is expected to issue resolutions regulating the issue for next year's election.
Recently, the issue was brought to the forefront after being included in the political reform approved by Congress. One of its articles stipulated that application and social media providers would be obligated to suspend posts when these were reported as false or inciting hatred during the election. After being pointed out by civil society organizations as a possible attempt at censorship, Michel Temer decided to veto the article.