STF Minister states that the business model of digital platforms is hidden under the “screen of freedom of expression”
The president of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), minister Roberto Barroso, stated this Friday (April 12, 2024) that the business model of digital platforms prioritizes engagement and, consequently, strengthens disinformation.
“In many situations, beneath the screen of freedom of expression, a business model that thrives on engagement is hidden. And, sad as it may be, hate, misinformation, lies, aggressive speech, produce much more engagement than polite speech, than calm speech.”he stated during the master class at Emerj (School of Judiciary of the State of Rio de Janeiro).
For the minister, for this reason, “there is an incentive to spread hate, aggression, conspiracy theories, misinformation, attacks on democracy”.
The class given by Barroso had the theme “Artificial Intelligence: potential, risks and regulation”. He also addressed the problems and concerns brought about by the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence).
He cited as an example possible setbacks in the job market, with the disappearance of jobs, the potential military use of AI and the so-called “deepfakes” –technique that allows you to create or alter videos and audios and produce misleading or unrealistic content.
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However, the focus of his speech was disinformation, a relevant topic for Brazilian courts such as the STF and the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), which have been actively working to combat fake news.
“This is the moment the world is living in. The importance of freedom of expression and, often, its distortion as a smokescreen for a business model that worsens the level of civilization of humanity”said Barroso.
Recently, the TSE approved a rule that holds platforms responsible for content considered illegal and that determines the removal of content without the need for a court order. Aimed at electoral propaganda, it determines that big techs must identify and remove content “notoriously untrue or seriously out of context that affect the integrity of the electoral process”.
The rule is based on an understanding that companies have “duty of care” in relation to the content of its users. According to Barroso, the whole world is looking for the “balance” to preserve freedom of expression without allowing the world “degenerate into a universe of insults, rudeness, aggression and lies”.
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