Temer cautions against fake news ahead of elections

President Michel Temer warned that people may resort to falsehoods during the campaigning period in a bid to gain a more favorable position ahead of the October elections. Temer spoke at a seminar entitled The Social, Political, and Economic Impact of Fake News.

“In the electoral period, as the eminent [Superior Electoral Court head] Fux just pointed out, there are often those who avail themselves of falsehoods to pursue their own interests,” the president said. Before Temer, Justice Luiz Fux had said that fake news may hinder elections and undermine democracy.

Temer spoke at a seminar entitled The Social, Political, and Economic Impact of Fake News. -  Antonio Cruz/Agência Brasil

Temer described misinformation as an evil for the country, and argued that the voting for projects and ideas rather than individual candidates is key for the October elections. “This is what doing something for the country means. Falsehoods, and the shrewdness of candidates who decide not to say something in fears of losing a portion of their electorate, are an evil for the country,” he remarked.

The president spoke out for freedom of press as an essential pillar of democracy. In his view, “free press and democracy are Siamese twins—one cannot live without the other.” Societies that value and promote the free disclosure of ideas are stronger and more dynamic societies, he went on to say.

“It is the unrestrained circulation of information and opinions that enable each individual to freely form their own convictions. Under a totalitarian state, the press is given a single direction, and this is the press that ends up forming people’s consciences.”

In Temer’s view, technological progress brings along with it both virtues and vices. As an example of the former, he mentioned the quick way events in the country are reported across the world; for the latter, Temer instanced those who use the internet to misinform people through fake news.

In October, Brazilians are to head for the ballot box to elect their president, state governors, federal and state deputies, and two thirds of senators.