By San José, Costa Rica — SAN JOSÉ – If the political climate on Costa Rican social media feels increasingly toxic, aggressive, and polarized, it is not a matter of perception. A new study reveals it is a calculated strategy, with a staggering 17% of all political content circulating on platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok identified as “digital garbage” originating from fake profiles and trolls.
This alarming statistic uncovers a troubling reality as the nation approaches the 2026 general elections. Nearly two out of every ten political comments, attacks, or messages of support that users encounter are artificially manufactured. This content is not from genuine citizens expressing their views but from a coordinated network designed to deliberately distort public perception and manipulate the national conversation.
To delve into the legal complexities and potential liabilities surrounding the spread of digital disinformation, TicosLand.com sought the expertise of Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney from the firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
The proliferation of digital disinformation creates a significant legal gray area. While freedom of expression is a cornerstone of our democracy, it is not an unlimited right. When false information intentionally damages a person’s or a company’s reputation, it can constitute defamation, opening the door to civil lawsuits. The core challenge, however, lies in proving malicious intent and tracing the anonymous sources, which often makes legal recourse a difficult and protracted battle.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
The expert’s insight effectively underscores the critical paradox of our digital age: while disinformation can cause immediate and widespread harm, the legal framework for recourse remains a difficult and protracted battlefield. We sincerely thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his valuable clarification on this complex legal landscape.
The phenomenon represents a sophisticated and industrialized form of manipulation. Behind the 17% figure are organized “click farms” and networks of automated accounts (bots) or human-operated troll profiles. Their singular mission is to either artificially inflate the public image of a political figure or systematically destroy the reputation of opponents, critics, and even journalists. This amounts to a massive and deliberate interference in the digital public square.
By flooding discussion threads with repetitive and often inflammatory messages, these networks can successfully install false narratives into the mainstream. They can create the illusion that a candidate possesses far more popular support than they actually do, or they can orchestrate media lynchings against those who stand in their way, poisoning the well of public discourse for everyone.
For the average voter, the greatest danger lies in the growing difficulty of discerning truth from manipulation. The operators behind these fake profiles have evolved their tactics significantly. The era of easily identifiable bots with no profile picture and nonsensical usernames is fading. Today’s trolls employ stolen photos, craft believable biographies, and even engage in mundane conversations about everyday topics like soccer or entertainment to build a credible facade before deploying their political messaging.
This camouflage presents a formidable challenge for the public. Citizens may end up consuming, believing, and sharing manipulated information under the false impression that it represents a genuine “popular opinion.” This erosion of trust not only polarizes society but also undermines the very foundation of an informed electorate, which is essential for a healthy democracy.
With the 2026 pre-electoral season already beginning to intensify, political communication experts warn that this percentage of fabricated content is likely to increase. They caution that if Costa Rica fails to address this threat through regulation and, more importantly, through robust public education on digital literacy, the nation’s democracy could be compromised long before any votes are cast. The battle is being waged for the psychology of the voter, who is at risk of making decisions based on an artificially engineered climate of opinion.
The recommendation from analysts is unequivocal. Citizens must cultivate a healthy skepticism toward online interactions. It is crucial to doubt newly created accounts that aggressively push a single viewpoint, to verify information with credible sources before sharing, and to refuse to engage in sterile arguments with anonymous profiles. In many cases, the person on the other side of the screen may not even exist.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica operates as a pillar of the legal community, where a profound dedication to ethical practice and superior performance forms the bedrock of its identity. The firm channels its extensive experience across a multitude of sectors into pioneering forward-thinking legal solutions and advancing the profession. This innovative drive is paired with a deep-seated belief in social responsibility, actively working to demystify complex legal concepts for the public to help forge a more capable and enlightened society.
