O poder das redes sociais como arma de influenciação social: os ataques de 8 de janeiro e a ameaça ao estado democrático de direito

Abstract

This work seeks to study how social networks, especially regarding the sharing of fake news, have the ability to manipulate the masses and destabilize the Democratic Rule of Law, with the anti-democratic attacks of January 8, 2023 in Brasília being an example of this. The social media algorithm system, increasingly improved by Artificial Intelligence (AI), manipulates public opinion so that society's political inclination is in line with the political-economic interests of those who are able to finance such a system. In this scenario, we see the rise of extremist leaders who, with the aim of destroying the reputation of their political opponents, discredit the electoral process and distort constitutional precepts, which, therefore, threatens the democratic status quo. Therefore, there is an urgent need for regulation aimed at holding these companies (Google, Facebook, Instagram, You Tube, etc.) responsible for the content they publish, as they have not played the neutral role of mere intermediaries for some time.