Ads where a candidate is accused (without evidence) of protecting criminals, doctored photos showing candidates wearing t-shirts with messages that were not originally there, fake news about non-existent candidate statements-- this is how disinformation spreads in North Carolina, and Latino voters are one of the groups most vulnerable to this problem.
Dirty campaigns and disinformation
These days, most political advertisements during the election campaign tend to exaggerate the virtues or faults of the candidates. It is common for an ad to describe one candidate as a devil and another as an angel. But beyond this practice, the digital age brings a layer of complexity by taking the issue of disinformation to another level.
On phone and computer screens across the state, there are advertisements about various North Carolina House of Representatives district races, featuring doctored photos of Democratic candidates.
In one of these publications, Representative Ricky Hurtado (Democrat), the only Latino who represents Alamance County in the General Assembly, is seen wearing a T-shirt that says: “Defund the police.” But the photo was doctored; the Latino candidate never wore a shirt with that message.
This is not an isolated case. In Pitt County, voters received a similar photoshopped ad attacking Democratic representative Brian Farkas.
Latinos vulnerable to disinformation
Latinos are highly susceptible to misleading political advertising, the spread of conspiracy theories, and information spread without evidence or support from a trusted source.
Nearly two out of three Latino voters (60%) were exposed to disinformation, primarily through social media, according to a survey published in early October by NALEO. Additionally, a third of Latino voters surveyed said they believed information that has been proven false.
A solution to disinformation
“There is a great need to fight disinformation and to increase factual and accurate information that Latinos receive. If we want to encourage greater Latino political and voter participation, accurate and reliable information is vital,” said Adrian Pantoja, Associate Dean of Faculty, Pitzer College.
Given this situation, it is essential to obtain information from reliable sources. Do not trust what appears on social networks or on any old web page. The media outlets with credibility and experience provide a solution against disinformation. This is exactly what La Noticia offers.
The prestigious Editor & Publisher magazine announced the winners of its 2022 EPPY awards on October 31. lanoticia.com was named the Best Hispanic newspaper website in the United States.
In addition, La Noticia placed second in the category of Best weekly newspaper website (including English-language and Spanish-language media), and second place in the category of Best business reporting for the editorial called “Nobel Prize winners: Immigrants do not take jobs from local workers.”
The EPPY Awards are among the nation’s most prestigious honors for digital publishing in the news industry. CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Newmark Graduate School of Journalism are just a few of the news organizations recently recognized with an EPPY award.
This is an indication that we follow the highest industry standards in order to bring you the best information. Thank you very much for your support.