Politics and disinformation: Analyzing the use of Telegram's information disorder network in Brazil for political mobilization

Abstract

Over the past few years, with the increasing popularization of network communication in place of traditional mass communication, supported by social platforms and messengers, political campaigns have come to rely on new tools and methods, including the use of these structures to promote an environment of information disorder for the purpose of mobilization. This work followed the use of Telegram as a tool for political mobilization in Brazil, collecting data from a dense network of information disorder used to mobilize voters in support of then-president Jair Bolsonaro on 7 September 2021 and 2022, Independence Day in Brazil. The results showed that engagement was reduced, mainly due to the lack of support from certain groups such as anti-vaccination advocates and the truck drivers’ class. There was also a decrease in extremism on discussion themes and lower user activity levels.