Credibilidade em xeque: por um estudo da divulgação nas mídias sociais do pseudodocumentário sereias

Abstract

This research investigates how the dissemination of the fake documentary “Mermaids: The Body Found” in social media happens and how the relationship of credibility between broadcasters and viewers/internet users is in this process. To do so, we use Content Analysis as a methodological tool to analyze some posts that advertise the fake documentary on the social networks of Discovery Channel and Animal Planet; comments of internet users on these same posts; and isolated publications from viewers that allowed inferring on how the relationship of credibility between broadcaster and viewer. The research reflects on fake documentary, a terrain little explored in scientific works, as well as on their use by television channels in search of an audience. The results found show that most viewers/internet users were in doubt about the fictional character of the movie Mermaids: The Body Found, with greater tendencies to give it credibility than to discredit it. Even so, we found that several other internet users fully believed in the fake documentary; while some noticed the fictional character of the film and criticized its showing by television channels, denoting their dissatisfaction and shaken the relationship of reliability in these stations that preach education and information as some of their values.