The University of Deusto and Cadena SER will analyse the impact of gender-based disinformation on democracy

The growing spread of coordinated online harassment campaigns and the use of algorithms to target women in the public eye pose an increasing threat, directly undermining pluralism and democratic coexistence. In a political landscape shaped by the upcoming general election on 29 November, the exploitation of gender-based disinformation and xenophobic rhetoric makes it essential to strengthen the training of future media professionals.

To address this challenge with rigour and a strong sense of ethics, the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at the University of Deusto and Cadena SER in the Basque Country are hosting a new edition of Aula Abierta on 16 November (12:00, Digital Room, Matteo Ricci Building, University of Deusto’s San Sebastián campus). Under the title “El laberinto de la desinformación de género: algoritmos, redacciones y elecciones ante el desafío democrático”,the event will take the form of a live radio programme recorded in collaboration with Radio San Sebastián. The session will be led by Miren Gutiérrez, Principal Investigator of the University of Deusto’s Communication team, and will feature Begoña Marañón, Director of Radio Bilbao and Regional Director of Cadena SER in the Basque Country (PRISA Media), who holds a PhD from the University of Deusto. The event will also address disinformation about immigration, a strategy used by far-right groups as a rallying point in the electoral contest to fuel xenophobic rhetoric.

Critical tools and ethical journalism in the face of manipulation

The main aim of the event is to equip Communication students with methodological tools and professional standards for fact-checking, upholding human rights and practising ethical journalism capable of countering manipulation. Through the recording of the radio programme, students will actively participate in the debate, analysing how algorithmic dynamics operate on social media and what organisational strategies newsrooms should adopt to protect the accuracy of information and safeguard public debate.