In the digital age, journalism has undergone a radical transformation. What was once a bastion of truth and journalistic ethics, with traditional media like newspapers and magazines adhering to codes of veracity, has now merged with the online world. Web portals that pretend to be serious news sources proliferate on the internet, but many of them are dedicated not to informing, but to destroying reputations. This phenomenon has become a lucrative business in Colombia, where extortion through false articles, social media posts, and malicious links generates millions of pesos weekly.
According to reports, extortionists use social media to defame victims, posting false information that
damages their personal or professional image. 0 These portals, often without physical addresses, phones, or identifiable journalists, operate with fake owner information, complicating any attempt to correct or remove content. Once the defamatory material is published, victims are forced to pay to have it removed or hire companies specialized in online reputation management, which sometimes form part of the same extortion ecosystem. In Colombia, this problem is exacerbated by informal loan platforms (“digital gota a gota”) that threaten defamation on networks if not paid, affecting thousands of people.
Colombian legislation partially addresses these abuses. The Penal Code, in articles 220, 221, and 222, establishes prison sentences of one to three years and fines up to 1000 minimum wages for slander and libel. 1 Additionally, the Constitutional Court has protected the right to a good name and honor, recognizing that the spread of false information causes irreparable damage. 11 However, the laws are not strict enough to force these anonymous portals to rectify or delete content. Victims must resort to complaints before the Prosecutor’s Office, but the process is slow and costly, involving lawyers who, in some cases, collaborate with extortion networks.
This “business” not only affects individuals but entire families. A fake news story associating someone with a crime can lead to bank account closures, bullying of children (known as “mateo” in Colombian slang), and the destruction of businesses. Recognized columnists, many living abroad, publish biased opinions on weekends, paid to damage specific reputations. 39 Social networks like X (Twitter) amplify these contents, turning them into a “pandemic” that spreads rapidly. 40
Google and other platforms have the capacity to “ban” these sites, similar to how fraudulent businesses are closed, without the need for extensive judicial processes. International recommendations, such as the 2017 Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and “Fake News,” emphasize the need to combat disinformation without curtailing freedom of expression. 12 In Colombia, updated legislation is urgently needed to mandate transparency in digital media and create ethical companies for damage correction, not extortion. Until then, this digital disease will continue to harm society, prioritizing profit over truth.
Article written by @zozyalco Carlos Escobar, digital journalist.
