Liberdade de expressão, desinformação e democracia na era digital

Disinformation has become one of the main threats to democratic life and to the very idea of factual truth. This article examines the phenomenon from a theoretical-bibliographic perspective, discussing its cognitive, social and technological foundations. The distinction between misinformation, disinformation and mal-information is analyzed, as well as the multiplicity of forms that information falsehood takes in the digital environment. Next, the psychological factors that explain human gullibility are addressed, such as cognitive biases and the dynamics of echo chambers and filter bubbles. The text also investigates the relationship between political lies and democratic corrosion, highlighting the role of algorithms and the business models of digital platforms in amplifying disinformation. Finally, the challenge of regulating platforms, the responsibility of technology companies, and the necessary balance between freedom of expression and protection against informational abuse are discussed.