Bolsonarist communication in the 2022 elections: an investigation of viral disinformation in Telegram groups

Abstract:

This study investigates the communication strategy used in the dissemination of disinformation in pro-Bolsonaro groups on Telegram during the period that marked the beginning of the 2022 election campaign in Brazil. The aim was to identify the themes and communication tones employed in the construction of the most popular disinformation messages. In accordance with the principles of digital methods, the dataset was constructed based on the affordances of the platform. Content and discourse analysis methods were employed in the evaluation of the disinformation messages. The UpSet method was applied to visualize the intersections of sets of themes, communication tones, and their combinations. It was identified that there was a predominant choice for a less aggressive discourse, avoiding extensive use of hate speech and extreme approaches, and favoring campaign and informative tones to disseminate misleading information. This preference seems to be a deliberate tactic to increase the reach and acceptance of disinformation. Moreover, messages are preferably constructed using a single theme, indicating the use of targeted content focused on specific audiences.

Keywords:
disinformation; Telegram; digital methods; discourse analysis; electoral campaign