Covid-19: Northeastern governments prepare dossier on fake news to present to the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry.

Cristiane Sampaio, Brasil de Fato | Brasília (DF) The governments of the Northeast have decided to unite in the fight against the epidemic of fake news, which is currently mainly affecting the fight against the coronavirus. 

Faced with the avalanche of false content circulating on social media regarding the topic, the communications secretaries of the nine states in the region have begun producing a dossier that will be delivered to the Joint Parliamentary Commission on Fake News (CPMI), responsible for investigating the matter in the National Congress.

Still in the final stages of preparation and without a specific date for submission to the committee, the material will provide deputies and senators with a series of examples of this type of publication, with data associated with the content.

The Secretary of Communication and Political Affairs of Maranhão, Rodrigo Lago, points out that the massive dissemination of false publications usually accompanies current events, which is why the practice is so closely associated with the pandemic today.

He says the problem has become a challenge for the state, which, in recent weeks, has become the scene of great public outcry in the face of some fake news.  

In one of them, for example, it was reported that the availability of coffins had run out. Another, with an even greater potential to mobilize and frighten the population, stated that the government had decreed a lockdown policy (blocking of activities and circulation) including for supermarkets and other food sales establishments. The decree in question, in fact, does not affect this type of service, which is considered essential.     

“Can you imagine the despair this generated in the city? To make matters worse, everyone rushed out of their homes and went to the supermarket, creating crowds and spreading the virus and contagion even further. We are facing this problem very intensely because it misinforms the population,” says Lago, adding that the administration has asked the population to give more credence to government institutional networks and the press than to content of unknown origin.

The secretary emphasizes that the biggest challenge in combating this practice is trying to stop the sharing of content, which spreads rapidly and reaches a long distance, affecting different groups.   

In the Legislative branch, the Joint Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPMI) is working to investigate a series of aspects related to misleading content. These include the use of fake profiles during the 2018 elections; cyberbullying against public officials and internet users considered more vulnerable; the enticement and guidance of children to commit hate crimes and suicide; and cyberattacks that affect democracy and public debate.

Congresswoman Luizianne Lins (PT-CE), a member of the committee, believes that the dossier on the governments of the Northeast could facilitate the work of the committee.

“For us at the CPMI, it’s concrete proof, because it already brings together several situations that we would have to gather. When it’s an already organized forum, it’s fundamental as evidence for the rapporteur herself to use,” says the Workers' Party member, adding that the committee observes common practices in various types of actions linked to fake news and suspects the existence of a common command linked to this content.

“And we are not simply talking about ordinary citizens or Bolsonaro supporters versus PT supporters. Look, in the case of this dossier, we are dealing with governors from various parties who were attacked with lies that harm the population. This needs to be studied,” adds Luizianne. 

Ceará

Governors in the Northeast have been active on several fronts in the fight. In Ceará, for example, the Camilo Santana (PT) administration launched its own fact-checking agency at the end of April. 

The page allows citizens to verify data through the work of the government's technical and communication teams, and also provides a series of guidelines on how to identify content of dubious veracity. 

“We are doing this because there has been a huge amount of lies and maliciousness on social media trying to confuse the population with false information and lies. This is a time to be very responsible and serious, putting differences aside, because we have a common enemy,” said Santana in recent days, in an indirect reference to political attacks surrounding the government through false content about the disease.

Also at the end of April, the Legislative Assembly of Ceará approved a law that provides for fines of up to R$ 2 for those who share misleading content about the coronavirus. The initiative excited neighboring states, which are now evaluating the possibility of adopting similar actions.