Post-Truth, Artificial Intelligence, and the Construction of Fictional Narratives: the case of the telenovela “Pé de Chinesa”, August 2024

Abstract

The use of digital platforms and collaborative practices has profoundly transformed the ways in which contemporary narratives are produced, circulated, and legitimized. This article analyzes the case of “Pé de Chinesa”—a fictitious telenovela, collectively created and disseminated as plausible on social media—as an expression of post-truth dynamics in digital culture. Grounded in Discourse Analysis and Cultural Studies frameworks, the study investigates how plausible simulations, driven by artificial intelligence and engagement algorithms, redefine the boundaries between fact and fabrication, directly impacting the construction of collective memory. The analysis demonstrates that in the current informational regime—marked by infocracy and the logic of virality—affective circulation tends to override critical verification. The results indicate the urgent need to develop specific strategies for digital historiography, such as source curation methodologies, authentication protocols, and critical training aimed at preserving historical integrity in the face of the proliferation of fabricated content.