AMERICA/BRAZIL - Bishops' Conference supports the fight against fake news in view of the elections

Thursday, 22 October 2020 elections   episcopal conferences  

Brasilia (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishops' Conference of Brazil (CNBB) will be ambassador of the #EuVotoSemFakecampanha "campaign, launched by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). The aim of the initiative is to ensure that the candidates for the upcoming elections are elected legitimately and on the basis of ethical principles, while being authentic and based on true information.
According to Thiago Rondon, digital coordinator of the anti-fake news initiative, the main objective is to provide correct information about the electoral process, such as health care in voting on election day, the functioning of the voting process and guidelines for voters in relation to the submission of the necessary documents. "With access to precise information, the population is more relaxed when it comes to voting and more willing to ignore so-called fake news", says Rondon.
The CNBB therefore supports efforts to mobilize Brazilian society to combat the spread of "fakenews" related to the election. Just over 147.9 million voters are due to go to the polls on November 15 (first round of the voting) and November 29 (second round) to elect a total of 5,568 mayors, 5,568 deputy mayors and 57,942 council members across Brazil, according to information from TSE. It is estimated that 750,000 candidates are running for the position of mayor and councilor.
The TSE, describes the spread of fake news in connection with the local elections as the second pandemic alongside Covid-19, both global phenomena with serious consequences. In this context, it is desirable to avoid these two factors affecting the voting of thousands of voters who may abstain from voting or whose opinion is affected by disinformation.
As patron of the campaign, the CNBB will publish the content on its social networks and try to mobilize its own communication network to uncover and denounce fake news. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 22/10/2020)


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