Disinformation in Latin America

The developments covered in this report concerning fake news and misinformation clearly point to a potential dystopian Latin American future, where distortion and manipulation erode democratic values and debase public debate. Rather than seeking to understand and address real-world problems afflicting citizens such as inequality, poverty, the lack of employment opportunities, crime, and corruption, politicians and governments will focus on manipulating perceptions and spinning stories to create a favourable impression. In short, authoritarian leaders of both left and right will use disinformation to confuse and distract a pliable electorate and keep themselves in power.