Twitter as a tool for communication and disinformation. An information transparency and political corruption in Spain analysis

Abstract

Political discourse finds the social networks an ideal medium for disseminating its messages, especially Twitter, the most widely used social network in politics. Voters are becoming concerned about the amount of disinformation and fakes they receive through the networks, and are demanding greater transparency in public management. The aim of this study is to discover the political treatment of corruption on Twitter, identifying the brands of false language of the candidates and verifying the opinion of experts on the need to increase public transparency. The methodology used is based on quantitative, qualitative and discursive content analysis with a comparative approach, focusing on the personal accounts of the five candidates for the Spanish General Elections in 2019. This is completed with an expert panel of professionals and academics from the political communication sector. The results point to the use of a fallacious discourse by politicians and that, as a result, a policy of absolute transparency is more necessary than ever.