Bennet, Colleagues Push to Combat Disinformation and Misinformation in Latin America and the Caribbean

Washington, D.C. - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet alongside U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), introduced a bicameral resolution expressing concern about and calling for action to counter Spanish-language disinformation and misinformation across Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as communities in the United States. While social media companies fail to address these threats, malicious actors affiliated with governments of countries including People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran use misinformation to undermine democracy.

"Online misinformation and disinformation are not new, but the sophistication and scale of new generative AI tools has rapidly exceeded existing safeguards and made it easier for foreign influence campaigns to disrupt free and fair elections, sow mistrust, and undermine democracy - especially in Latin America and the Caribbean," said Bennet. "That's why I'm speaking up with my colleagues to call on social media companies, Latin American and Caribbean governments, and the Biden administration to work together to counter disinformation campaigns and protect democracy in the Western Hemisphere."

"Disinformation poses a significant threat to free and fair elections, and social media platforms must do more to address this growing threat in Latin America and the Caribbean," said Luján. "This resolution urges social media companies to strengthen safety measures, collaborate with civil society and independent media, and boost transparency. It also urges governments across the Americas to invest in combatting misinformation and disinformation. I am committed to preserving the integrity of our elections and ensuring that communities have access to accurate information."

"For years, Russia, China, and other authoritarian regimes have weaponized disinformation to undermine democracy - both in the United States and across the globe," said Cardin."In Latin America, this threat is especially rampant, as limited resources and weak independent media leave the region vulnerable to widespread and malign Spanish-language disinformation operations. This congressional resolution - the first of its kind to address the dangers of dis/misinformation in the region and its impact on Latino communities in the United States - sends a clear message: social media companies, regional governments, and the Biden administration have a responsibility to act swiftly in taking stronger action to confront these challenges."

Bennet has repeatedly pushedU.S. leaders to deepen partnerships with Latin America and the Caribbean, and is the Senate Democratic lead co-sponsor of the bicameral, bipartisan Americas Act, which would strengthen U.S. economic leadership across the Western Hemisphere.Bennet has also called onleading technology companies to identify and label AI-generated content to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation, and has introduced the REAL Political Ads Actto require a disclaimer on political ads in the U.S. that use content generated by AI.

In addition to Bennet, Luján, and Cardin, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and U.S. Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif) also cosponsored this legislation.