Explaining Brazil #248: How YouTube helped pollute Brazil’s public discourse

Next week, Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro will go on trial for instigating false claims over electoral fraud. Now, a new study reveals how YouTube’s recommendation algorithm might have been a key weapon for him to firehose public discourse with disinformation.

In an effort to study Brazilian YouTube users’ perceptions of political content, researchers from Mozilla, Instituto Vero, and Exeter University have detailed how a complex, web-like influencer system of YouTube channels helped shape political narratives during Brazilian elections. 

This is in addition to YouTube’s own recommendation algorithm, which also generates suggestions based on users’ viewing patterns.

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This week’s podcast is supported by Dal Pozzo Advogados. Dal Pozzo represents some of Brazil’s biggest infrastructure groups and helps foreign clients navigate the country’s complicated legal and regulatory system.

This episode used music from Uppbeat. License codes: Aspire by Pryces (B6TUQLVYOWVKY02S). Bionic by Tobias Voigt (MJFFUXWUNNWTKUGI).

In this episode:

• Beatrice Bonami is head of science and innovation at Brazil’s Vero Institute.
• Chico Camargo is a lecturer in computer science at the University of Exeter.
• Becca Ricks is head of open-source research and innovation at Mozilla.

Background reading:

• Read our November 2019 story: Will YouTube curb misinformation in Brazil? Don’t count on it.
• In an exclusive interview with The Brazilian Report, the rapporteur for the Fake News Bill explains the nuts and bolts of the bill’s provisions on social media platforms and misinformation.
• Next week, Brazil’s top electoral court will reach the final stage of a trial against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of abusing his political power to sow disinformation in the voting system. If convicted, he will lose his political rights.

Do you have a suggestion for our next Explaining Brazil podcast? Drop us a line at podcast@brazilian.report

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