THE NEW FACE OF ELECTORAL MANIPULATION: ALGORITHMS, SOCIAL NETWORKS AND LEGITIMACY OF THE VOTE

Abstract

New technologies and today's society are inseparable, the latter increasingly needing the former, but the evolution of the Internet and Social Networks is not accompanied by legislation, and perhaps it would be a danger if it were, but the Law as a whole cannot evade these recent changes. This scenario of evolution has brought some problematic issues, such as the 2016 elections in the United States and the 5 Star Movement in Italy, which demonstrated the power that algorithms and AI's of Big Tech Companies have in the decisions of political leaders. The parastatal activity of these companies or mobilizations will be analyzed as the General Objective, while the Specific Objective will observe the Legitimacy of the Popular Vote of those who were guided to a certain political vision through the algorithms of Social Networks. The central problem to be faced can be summarized in the following question: Is the vote of the voter manipulated by the Internet and social networks valid? As an initial hypothesis, it is assumed that it is. The methodology used was bibliographic, using studies on algorithms, AI, the Internet, Social Networks, neuroscience and Digital Law. The result of the research is that the private sector is acquiring excessive power and generating control over the masses in an almost imperceptible way. However, as a reference, Brazilian law states that the private sector can do anything that does not contravene the Law. From a legalistic point of view, it is a vote like any other: Legitimate, but we must have other questions ahead, such as whether we are better off with the Internet and Social Networks as they are today.