Satires and rumors shaped the conversation in the Spanish Empire, although historians have not paid much attention. Satires and rumors circulated in the empire, connecting the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The authorities feared them because they damaged their reputation and occasionally forced their hand. For instance, in the eighteenth century, priests read sermons to stamp out false rumors about the new royal dynasty to deny doubters their space. The Inquisition also caught pamphlets produced by the imaginary “ill-bred goblin, a scoffing person,” who mocked the viceroys and undermined their authority. Nonetheless, the publicity could also cut the other way, questioning the motives of disloyal residents. Satire and rumors spread alternative news and contributed to a public sphere in Spanish America. The documents survive in archives, precisely because they the Holy Office often took a keen interest in dangerous communications. This panel will throw light on the aims and meaning of irreverent, undesirable, and disloyal – or sometimes royalist - communications.