Political Communication, Fake News and Social Networks: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This paper aims to present the debate on the relations between political communication, fake news and social networks through a systematic review of the literature from 2000 to 2020. Prisma Group’s recommendations were used to offer a comprehensive and synthetic view of ongoing research that resulted in the selection and analysis of 25 scientific papers from 1,819 documents. There sults show that the phenomenon of fake news has been interfering in political campaigns, electoral processes and the voting intentions of citizensin various parts of the world. The studies converge by problematizing in different ways the current environment of over load and in formation disorder in which circulate those incorrect, false and poor quality and their economic, political and social consequences, as shown by the ten identified themaic axes. The studies also indicate that democracy, politics and freedom of expression take on a new configuration in the post-truth and disinformation environment that has marked the 21st century, especially since the second decade.