The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) adopted a new strategy to tackle the spread of false information in the 2024 Municipal Elections with the launch of SOS Voto, a hotline service created to receive reports of misinformation about the electoral process on social media. 

From now on, any citizen throughout the national territory can report free of charge by dialing 1491.

SOS Voto: Essential tool against electoral disinformation

Operating from Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 8 pm, and on Saturdays, from 9 am to 5 pm, SOS Voto has the capacity to answer up to a thousand calls per day, providing a quick and efficient response to the complaints received. The service is provided by professionals trained by the TSE to deal with the reports appropriately and guide the complainants.

The initiative, conceived by the president of the TSE, Minister Cármen Lúcia, is a pioneering measure that aims to increase transparency and speed in the fight against disinformation during the electoral period. The number 1491 was established in partnership with the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) and is part of the Integrated Center for Confronting Disinformation and Defending Democracy (CIEDDE).

How the process of handling and forwarding complaints works

In addition to receiving complaints, SOS Voto also guides citizens on how to officially report them online, through the Electoral Disinformation Alert System (Siade). If the complaints are considered legitimate, they will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities, such as the Federal Police, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the regional electoral courts (TREs) or the electoral judges responsible.

According to the Basic Guide to Combating Disinformation According to the TSE, disinformation encompasses the dissemination of incorrect information, whether intentional or not, and may include the use of partially true but distorted data to harm the image of electoral institutions. In the digital age, this false information spreads rapidly through social media and misleading news sites, compromising the integrity of the electoral process.

SOS Voto is established as a crucial tool to ensure that the 2024 Municipal Elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner, allowing the population to exercise their right to vote in a safe and well-informed manner.