Why Marginalized Areas Bear the Brunt of the Disinformation Crisis | TechPolicy.Press

David Nemer is the author of  Technology of the Oppressed: Inequity and the Digital Mundane in Favelas of Brazil. In the heart of Vitória, Brazil, there is a collection of favelas (urban shantytowns) known as the Território do Bem (Territory of Good)—a name given by its residents that reclaims dignity in a cityscape often marked by neglect. It is here that the CalangoLab team and I conducted a participatory study to understand how technology shapes information access and misinformation exposure among marginalized communities. The findings of our report, Technology and Disinformation in the Território do Bem , are as revealing as they are urgent. They highlight a digital landscape defined not by inclusion but by containment. In this landscape, Meta, through its platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, dominates not only access but also shapes what people believe to be true. Yet, the community is far from passive. People know when they’re being misled. They know who holds the power. And most importantly, they know who’s being left behind. The Digital Cage Smartphones are the gateway to the Internet for nearly all residents—92.8% of our 404 respondents own one. But the way people connect matters. Most rely on mobile
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