'Social Media Firms Are Undermining Democracy'

YouTube and Facebook are allowing disinformation to be spread about Brazil's election campaign in an already polarised and violent election, according to a report by human rights organisation Global Witness.

- Andrew Downie SAO PAULO

The NGO produced a series of purposely misleading ads during an election season that has been dominated by the bitter race between far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist challenger, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Some of the mock ads urged people not to vote; others, like Bolsonaro himself, questioned the credibility of the election; and a few gave a false date for the ballots. YouTube approved all of them and Facebook approved half, Global Witness said, although the ads were withdrawn and not published.

Jon Lloyd, Global Witness's senior adviser, said: "Ifit wasn't already obvious it should now be undeniable to even the biggest sceptic - social media firms are fundamentally failing in their responsibility to stop democratic processes being undermined by false, misleading and purposeful deceit."