The political dispute that aims to stop the extreme right in the country involves communication and social networks. That was the conclusion of specialists, during the 13th Biennial of the National Union of Students (UNE), this Saturday (4th), in Rio de Janeiro. The meeting was held at the Fundição Progresso building, in Arcos da Lapa.
André Janones says that democracy runs risks – Tomaz Silva/Agência Brasil
“The ongoing dispute is that of narratives. Unfortunately, our democracy is at risk, yes. And we need, to face this debate, to understand this”, argued federal deputy André Janones (Avante-MG).
The deputy added that “nothing is more essential than communication, which is a transversal theme, which works and touches people’s emotions”. “Our students are tuned in to this. It is the youth, also through social networks, that will strengthen communication for us to win this battle”, added the deputy.
Renata Mielli says that the extreme right has not been defeated in Brazil – Tomaz Silva/Agência Brasil
Journalist and communication researcher Renata Mielli, former general coordinator of the National Forum for the Democratization of Communication (FNDC), has a similar view. For her, the defeat of Bolsonarism at the polls does not mean the end of political extremism.
“On October 30, we defeated Bolsonaro, but we did not defeat the extreme right in Brazil. And any discussion that we have today about communication, economy or infrastructure, has to start from this reality. It is in this concept that we have to understand the communication debate today. Because we have not defeated an extreme right that has taken over the hearts and minds of a large portion of the population of our country”, warned Renata.
According to Renata Mielli, investment in the public communication system is necessary: “To guarantee the complementarity of the public, private and state system, foreseen in the Constitution. strengthen the Brazil Communications Company. We need to strengthen public communication in our country. Strengthen community radios, alternative media. Communication is a right”.
Infrastructure
historian and youtuber Jones Manoel – Tomaz Silva/Agência Brasil
For the historian and youtuber Jones Manoel, who also participated in the debate, it is necessary to think about and invest in a national information technology and communication system, which makes the country independent from the large foreign digital conglomerates, which currently decide and modulate, through their own algorithms, the discourse on the networks.
“A communication program in which the technical infrastructure, processing and ownership of data remain in Brazil, based on democratic control with public companies as the protagonists”, he defended.
He added that internet access generates information that is processed by foreign companies. “Every time we access the internet, billions of data are produced, about tastes, commercial and political trends. This cannot be processed by foreign companies, at the service of other governments”, said Jones.
