Women in Brazil Targeted by Online Disinformation & Political Violence, finds Report

According to We Are Social's 2023 study, more than half of the world's population (68.0%) is now linked through mobile devices, has internet access (64.4%), and actively engages in social media (59.4%).

Notably, women make up the bulk of this digital group (54.8%). This connection has also resulted in a troubling trend: gendered misinformation.

The information society, facilitated by technology, has facilitated a fusion of online and offline lives, resulting in an Infosphere, with women playing a significant role.

Gendered misinformation, a type of online gender-based abuse, uses misleading narratives based on gender prejudices to target women.

Despite progress towards gender equality in Brazil, political representation for women is hampered by misinformation campaigns laced with lies, threats, and attempts to discredit female leaders.

According to a poll, 74% of female mayors elected in Brazil in 2020 suffered misleading information distribution, while 66% received internet threats, insults, and hate speech.

European countries have made efforts to combat misinformation, with the European Union putting in place a Strengthened Code of Practise on Disinformation in 2022.

However, there are no particular misinformation restrictions in Brazil. Proposed legislation in Brazil attempt to regulate harmful internet content by drawing inspiration from the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

Efforts to combat internet violence go beyond law and include civic education, media literacy, public interest journalism, and awareness campaigns. These policies are intended to safeguard women's political involvement in an increasingly linked digital era.