Misinformation spreads on social media in Chile ahead of vote on new constitution
In Chile, misinformation about the proposed new constitution is spreading, support is eroding and it may be rejected by voters, say experts.
SANTIAGO, Chile — A Chilean constitution that bans private property and allows abortions in the ninth month of a pregnancy. Private companies counting votes. A flood of prisoners and recent migrants allowed to vote in the upcoming constitutional referendum.
All these stories have gone viral on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and WhatsApp in Chile as citizens prepare to vote on a new constitution on Sept. 4, but all are inaccurate.
Nearly 80 percent of Chileans voted to draft a new constitution in 2020, a year after violent protests against inequality rattled the world’s top copper-producing nation.
But support has dropped and polls show voters are more likely to reject the new text.
The proposed constitution, written by predominantly independent and progressive elected constituents, is easily available on the streets, online, or in a podcast format. Focusing on social rights and the environment, it is a sharp shift from the current market-oriented constitution that dates back to the Augusto Pinochet era.
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