Protection of personal data and democracy: fake news, voter manipulation and the case of Cambridge Analytica

Abstract

Within the context of the Information Society, this article analyzes the importance of protecting the personal data left by users in Internet, in order to minimize possible manipulation of the voter through instruments such as fake news or targeted advertising. Among other evils, these malicious expedients obscure the candidate’s figure in regard to his past, his most relevant ideas and propositions. The article describes the Cambridge Analytica case that, from the data collection of millions of potential voters, even obtained in a very questionable way, produced material specifically directed to several predetermined profiles. It is believed that this performance eventually influenced, at levels still to be better investigated, the 2016 US presidential election that culminated in the victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump. The article also addresses how some legislation has come to address the issue of protection of personal data in virtual environments. Regarding the methodology, this is a qualitative study with results obtained primarily by induction.