Digital networks, backlash and datafication in Brazil

During the last Brazilian presidential election, in October 2019, by the combination of digital activism and semi-legal bot-driven activity, Facebook, Twitter and, particularly WhatsApp became a key means for the dissemination of moral panics and hate discourse against feminist, LGBT, and other minorities, successfully channeling public support for candidates bringing an anti-rights agenda. This research will look at the role ICTs and digital social networks in that process, with a four-fold interconnected methodological approach: (1) using mostly secondary sources, we will review recent changes in the local regulation of digital communications framework regulation and enforcement policies that allow for the manipulation of data for commercial and political purposes; (2) with a qualitative approach to digital data monitoring and visualization devices and techniques, we will look at the dissemination of anti-rights discourse, hate speech, and the incitement to homophobic and gender-based violence on social media platforms; (3) using ethnographic case studies, we will look feminist and LGBTQ community responses to online hate speech and anti-rights discourse; and (4) to address the multiple meanings of online violence, security and internet regulation for sexual rights activism in this context, we will apply a monitoring survey specially developed in partnership with APC WRP EROTICS project.
Integrantes: Horacio Federico Sívori – Coordenador / ZILLI, BRUNO – Integrante / Elaine Teixeira Rabello – Integrante.
Financiador(es): Association for Progressive Communications – Auxílio financeiro.