Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of Deputies
Disinformation is one of the main challenges faced by modern democratic societies, becoming a crucial focus of study in political communication. Terms such as lie, falsehood, hoax, disinformation, or post-truth have become part of the daily language of the media, featured in numerous scientific stud...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Communication |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1363941/full |
| _version_ | 1797337215321243648 |
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| author | Ricardo Domínguez-García Ana Velasco-Molpeceres Concha Pérez-Curiel |
| author_facet | Ricardo Domínguez-García Ana Velasco-Molpeceres Concha Pérez-Curiel |
| author_sort | Ricardo Domínguez-García |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Disinformation is one of the main challenges faced by modern democratic societies, becoming a crucial focus of study in political communication. Terms such as lie, falsehood, hoax, disinformation, or post-truth have become part of the daily language of the media, featured in numerous scientific studies, and entered political discourse. With the aim of delving into and determining the characteristic features of Spanish politicians' discourse on disinformation, a methodology of quantitative and qualitative content analysis is applied to a total of 1,115 interventions by members of the Congress of Deputies during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. This period is chosen due to its high levels of disinformation and polarization. The results indicate that the issue of disinformation is a minor topic on the Spanish political agenda. Furthermore, metrics confirm a much higher use of terms such as lie, false, and hoax, to the detriment of other words like disinformation or post-truth. An impact of the pandemic on the main themes related to this phenomenon is also detected, with health and the economy being the primary frames identified. From an interpretative perspective, this is attributed to the tendency of Spanish politicians to use this issue as just one element within a polarizing and confrontational rhetoric, generally eschewing proactive debates on the measures needed to address disinformation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:06:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4a5244b24a19494cba3b1bafc4be698a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-900X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:06:17Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-4a5244b24a19494cba3b1bafc4be698a2024-02-01T04:38:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2024-02-01910.3389/fcomm.2024.13639411363941Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of DeputiesRicardo Domínguez-García0Ana Velasco-Molpeceres1Concha Pérez-Curiel2Department of Journalism II, University of Seville, Seville, SpainDepartment of Journalism and New Media, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Journalism II, University of Seville, Seville, SpainDisinformation is one of the main challenges faced by modern democratic societies, becoming a crucial focus of study in political communication. Terms such as lie, falsehood, hoax, disinformation, or post-truth have become part of the daily language of the media, featured in numerous scientific studies, and entered political discourse. With the aim of delving into and determining the characteristic features of Spanish politicians' discourse on disinformation, a methodology of quantitative and qualitative content analysis is applied to a total of 1,115 interventions by members of the Congress of Deputies during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. This period is chosen due to its high levels of disinformation and polarization. The results indicate that the issue of disinformation is a minor topic on the Spanish political agenda. Furthermore, metrics confirm a much higher use of terms such as lie, false, and hoax, to the detriment of other words like disinformation or post-truth. An impact of the pandemic on the main themes related to this phenomenon is also detected, with health and the economy being the primary frames identified. From an interpretative perspective, this is attributed to the tendency of Spanish politicians to use this issue as just one element within a polarizing and confrontational rhetoric, generally eschewing proactive debates on the measures needed to address disinformation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1363941/fullpolitical communicationpolitical discoursedisinformationliefalsehoodSpain |
| spellingShingle | Ricardo Domínguez-García Ana Velasco-Molpeceres Concha Pérez-Curiel Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of Deputies Frontiers in Communication political communication political discourse disinformation lie falsehood Spain |
| title | Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of Deputies |
| title_full | Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of Deputies |
| title_fullStr | Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of Deputies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of Deputies |
| title_short | Disinformation in the Spanish public debate: an analysis of political speeches in the Congress of Deputies |
| title_sort | disinformation in the spanish public debate an analysis of political speeches in the congress of deputies |
| topic | political communication political discourse disinformation lie falsehood Spain |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1363941/full |
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