THE BRAZILIAN DIGITAL BATTLEFIELD: INVESTIGATING THE DYNAMICS OF POLITICAL INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS IN POST-BOLSONARO ERA

Abstract

The 2022 Brazilian presidential elections and subsequent events highlight a significant period of political polarization and misinformation, particularly on social media platforms like Facebook. This study investigates the dynamics of misinformation campaigns on Facebook in the context of Brazil's political shifts, focusing on the period from the 2022 elections to the aftermath of the attempted coup on January 8, 2023. Utilizing a mixed methods approach and an innovative news alert system, we analyzed three months of links shared in a coordinated fashion leading up to the first anniversary of the attempted coup. Our findings reveal a bipartisan battlefield of political discourse, with a scenario characterized by divergence in accounts’ political alignment. We, in fact, identified two primary networks of political Facebook accounts: one supporting former President Jair Bolsonaro and another backing President Lula. Interestingly, we observed Lula supporters repeatedly share content criticizing or mocking Bolsonaro, his family members, and his supporters within pro-Bolsonaro groups. Moreover, these posts often receive a substantial number of comments and minor reactions and shares. Future research will expand on these findings by examining a year's worth of Facebook posts from these networks to explore changes in topics and strategies over time. The presentation will thus discuss the study's advancement outcomes in-depth, contributing to understanding how Brazilian political factions’ supporters utilize social media to influence public opinion and the implications for democracy in the digital age.