Fake news is the biggest threat to our society today, as they undermine the capacity for social mobilization around relevant issues.
To combat this, we decided to create for Folha de S.Paulo, the largest newspaper in Brazil, recognized as a journalistic icon for its independent stance and its non-negotiable commitment to the facts a campaign that promotes: a) the relevance of professional journalism, b) the importance of a quality assessment and c) encourages its valorization.
The objective was to promote the relevance of professional journalism, collaborating to deconstruct the notion that the journalistic content exposed on the internet does not need to be paid for, as well as helping to train new readers.
The solution was to be direct: professional journalism is so valuable that it should be printed like money. In this way, we print our newspaper in the same place where the national currency is made, with all the respective validation and verification mechanisms: paper money, holographic seal, serial number, and raised inscriptions.
We recruited opinion leaders from the most expressive segments of society - politics, arts, culture, economics, sports, finance, and, of course, the press - who received copies of our newspaper and promoted a productive discussion around the importance of free media in the fight not only disinformation but also extremism and mass manipulation.
This special edition has also been shown at bus stops in the city of São Paulo.