Disinformation in Contexts of Social Polarization: Colombia’s National Strike (November 21st, 2019) Arguments and collateral damages of the disinformation in social actors, politicians and institutions

Abstract

Disinformation emerges as a worldwide phenomenon that affects public opinion. The article’s purpose is to analyze the contents evaluated as disinformation by three fact-checking media during Colombia’s national strike (November 21st, 2019). Specifically, the objective is to understand how disinformation negatively affects the intangible assets (legitimacy, reputation, and trust) of social & political actors, and institutions. Methodologically, we carried out both quantitative and ethnographic content analysis to analyze data and, identify the prominent arguments and relationships. Through this, we linked the disinformation and the costs of the intangible assets associated with these actors and institutions. The results highlight that the disinformation contents’ key drivers were the violence and punishable acts that affected both social actors and the Public Force, particularly the Esmad and the police. These contents delegitimized and discredited both the reasons for the protest and the function of guaranteeing public order and security. Regarding the disinformation linked to political actors, the leader of the left-side was the most affected due to inaccurate content that polarized and proclaimed extreme positions close to subversion. Finally, we discuss the implications of disinformation and how it affects legitimacy, reputation, and trust. Moreover, disinformation imitates media outlet aesthetics as a necessity of a kind of legitimacy and credibility set of news practice in the eye of the beholder.