Gendered disinformation and social networks

Abstract

The subject of this article is gender-based disinformation on social networks. This type of disinformation is identified with those contents that circulate on networks with the aim of attacking women for being women and expelling them from public debate. This type of behavior undermines women's credibility in the public eye and can lead to their abandonment of the public sphere. Gendered disinformation particularly targets women who have an impact on the public conversation, politicians, journalists, activists or women with a voice of their own in the media and networks. This phenomenon is a major problem for our democracies because, firstly, it is a blatant demonstration of the discrimination suffered by women in general. And, secondly, because it means restricting the legitimate exercise of these women's freedom of communication, in a broad sense, and participation in political life, which in turn leads to the distortion of pluralism and participation in decision-making processes.