Good morning! We’re covering today the accusations about how Jair Bolsonaro runs a social media army. The latest numbers of the Brazilian industry. A watered-down anti-crime bill. And how much money will finance next year’s elections. (This newsletter is for platinum subscribers only. Become one now!)
Ally-turned-foe exposes Bolsonaro’s social media “militias”
Speaking to a congressional hearings committee investigating the use of fake news for political gains, Congresswoman Joice Hasselmann could cause political problems for President Jair Bolsonaro. Armed with printouts and a PowerPoint presentation, Ms. Hasselmann told her peers about how the Bolsonaros’ “social media militias”—as she calls them—operate.
Why it matters. It is no revelation that Mr. Bolsonaro and his entourage uses social media to intimidate and bully adversaries, journalists, Supreme Court justices … and even celebrities. But Ms. Hasselmann offered unknown details, such as names, places of work—and even the salaries of the aides in charge of attacking detractors of the president.
How it operates. Attacks allegedly begin through WhatsApp Messenger—the most popular app in Brazil—and spread with the use of bots, fake accounts, and automation software.
Public money? Mr. Bolsonaro’s social media “militia” is known in Brasília as the “Office of Hate.” According to Ms. Hasselmann’s...