Brazil confronts narrative power amid disinformation and tech regulation

At the International Nexus Zero Forum, communication specialist Deco Bancillon argued that narratives have become the infrastructure of power, shaping public perception and legitimising governments, companies and institutions. He cited the Lehman Brothers collapse, the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff and the contrasting public reception of Brazil’s Collor and Real plans to illustrate how sudden shifts in credibility can undermine policy.

An Observatório da Imprensa analysis highlights Brazil’s struggle with an overloaded information environment dominated by global tech platforms. New decrees (12 975 and 12 976) introduced in July aim to regulate big‑tech services, while politicians increasingly use TikTok and other short‑form media to capture attention rather than provide transparent accountability. The piece also notes how public‑service communications, such as U.S. health official Anthony Fauci’s Senate testimony, are frequently re‑edited and stripped of context, contributing to a broader erosion of evidence‑based discourse.