Disinformation, Democracy and the Myth of the Informed Citizen

• Dolan, Carl ^[1]
  1. [1] European Policy Centre
• Localización: Revista de Estudios Globales (REG): Análisis Histórico y Cambio Social, ISSN-e 2697-0511, Vol. 5, Nº. 10, 2026 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Tecnología, Política y Pospolítica), págs. 61-84
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.6018/reg.721501
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Desinformación, Democracia y el mito del ciudadano informado
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    Existe un discurso político emergente en la Unión Europea según el cual el actual malestar democrático al que se enfrenta Europa es producto de una mentalidad de la «posverdad», contemporánea y provocada por el aumento del uso de las redes sociales. Más concretamente, se sostiene que la facilidad con la que actores malintencionados pueden difundir desinformación a través de las redes sociales y de internet en general tiene un efecto significativo sobre los procesos políticos y las elecciones democráticas. En este trabajo argumento que este discurso exagera tanto la novedad como el carácter perjudicial de la desinformación en internet para la democracia.

  • English

    There is an emerging policy discourse in the European Union that the current democratic malaise that Europe is facing is a product of a ‘post-truth’ mentality that is contemporaneous with, and caused by, the rise in social media use. More specifically the ease with which malign actors can disseminate disinformation via social media and online more generally has a material effect on political processes and democratic elections. I argue that this discourse exaggerates both the novelty and perniciousness of online disinformation for democracy.

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