The struggle against the desinformation on COVID-19 in Brazil: an exploratory study of the fact-checking agencies Fato ou Fake and Lupa

Digital social networks not only spread useful content, but also contribute to spreading false information that contributes to the misinformation of society in different geographical, political and cultural contexts. Digital fact-checking agencies are seen as an effective remedy against this problem, along with other possibilities or strategies, such as the exclusion of content and the demonetization of propagators. In consideration of the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic in Brazil, this article investigates the importance given by the fact-checking agencies of that country, Fato ou Fake and Lupa, to their verification of false news on the COVID-19. If during the initial periods of spread of the disease in January and February 2020, the verifications did not reach 20% of the information material generated, as of March, the verifications were intensified in relation to the pandemic, reaching an average of approximately two posts per day.