FAKE NEWS AND THE COVID KIT: AN ANALYSIS OF DISCURSIVE PRACTICES OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATORS AND MISINFORMATION ON TWITTER: Fake news e kit covid: uma análise de práticas discursivas de divulgadores de ciência e desinformação no Twitter

Abstract

In this research, I analyzed messages from science communicators in the social media diffusion space of Twitter, observing three of the most prominent voices of Brazilian scientific communication that seek to clarify questions about the "cure" and treatment of COVID-19, understanding this theme is impregnated with fake news. In addition, denialist replies to these messages seeking for the interdiction of scientific discourses were analyzed. Thus, it was possible to measure the power of this misleading information in prompting social questioning and discredit towards science itself, in addition to making it clear how the politics of truth is connected to the current historical moment and how institutions assume it, making their desired truths a statute for the prevailing truth.In this research, I analyzed messages from science communicators in the social media diffusion space of Twitter, observing three of the most prominent voices of Brazilian scientific communication that seek to clarify questions about the "cure" and treatment of COVID-19, understanding this theme is impregnated with fake news. In addition, denialist replies to these messages seeking for the interdiction of scientific discourses were analyzed. Thus, it was possible to measure the power of this misleading information in prompting social questioning and discredit towards science itself, in addition to making it clear how the politics of truth is connected to the current historical moment and how institutions assume it, making their desired truths a statute for the prevailing truth.