How pro-Bolsonaro Facebook misinformation networks operate

Jul 10, 2020 14:35 6 min read (Updated: Jul 10, 2020 17:07)

On July 8, Facebook Inc. announced it had taken down a network of social media profiles owned by figures linked to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and two of his sons, who are also in politics. The justification for the removal was that these profiles engaged in “coordinated inauthentic behavior,” which violates the company’s terms of use. Combined, the pages and profiles in question had an audience of more than two million accounts.

The network comprised 14 Facebook pages, 35 personal accounts, 38 Instagram pages, and one Facebook group. Beyond being linked to advisors of the First Family, the...

The inner workings of pro-Bolsonaro misinformation networks

Facebook removed dozens of profiles and pages used to spread misinformation. They were connected to Brazil's First Family

Access all of The Brazilian Report

Less expensive than a coffee!

Enjoy your 30-day limited-time offer for US$ 0.25 a week

A putschist meeting shows up Bolsonaro’s erratic foreign policy

The guest list for President Bolsonaro’s July 18 meeting with foreign diplomats lays bare the Brazilian president’s erratic approach to foreign policy, and highlights how he shuns key partners such as Argentina and China

Absences and presidents mark kickoff of debate season in Brazil

Gubernatorial candidates in ten states held debates on Sunday evening, though there were some high-profile absences. Besides regional issues, contenders focused on the Lula-Bolsonaro divide

Electoral court opens doors to digital influencers in defense of electronic voting

Brazil's Superior Electoral Court invited a group of 30 digital influencers to its headquarters, seeking to dispel myths and lies spread about the country's voting system

Brazil shrugs at independence bicentennial amid coup threats

Brazil will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its independence from Portugal on September 7. But there is little enthusiasm around the date, amid fears that it may instead be marked by a pro-Bolsonaro uprising against democratic institutions

Why economy-boosting measures won’t save Bolsonaro

Jair Bolsonaro has been in full desperation mode, trying to increase benefits and win popular support — but it looks to be too little, too late

Brazilian services sector outperforms expectations

Bolsonaro withdraws nomination for Brazil’s ambassador to UAE

Guedes says Brazil should “not give a f***” about France

High food prices push Brazilian retail sales to seven-month low

Accounts Court tell Car Wash prosecutors to repay public purse

Bolsonaro once again touts ineffective drugs against Covid

Opposition senators accuse pro-Bolsonaro prosecutor of malfeasance

São Paulo moves forward with fourth vaccine dose rollout

Regulators threaten to cancel Oi Telecom sale amid stalemate on roaming prices

Rate of positive Covid tests in Brazil on par with Omicron wave

Rosa Weber to take over Supreme Court’s rotating presidency

Bolsonaro adversary to analyze president’s candidacy

Manifesto for democracy targeted with cyberattacks

Why Brazil’s Electoral Court blocked a televised address by the Health Minister

Bolsonaro is competitive among voters living in favelas

Why banks are now voicing concern about Brazilian democracy

Fearful of the economic consequences of a Bolsonaro-led coup attempt, Big business has belatedly decided to speak up, signing manifestos in defense of democracy

Market roundup: Higher interest rates push retail investors to fixed income

The returns on fixed income fluctuate in opposite direction to the benchmark interest rate. With rates at a six-year high, investors are fleeing from variable interest

Brazil’s Central Bank sends ambiguous message on interest rate hikes

The monetary authority raised benchmark rates by a half percentage point and said it is appropriate to continue tightening "significantly into even more restrictive territory." But many policy wonks believe it might not pull the trigger

Retailers will benefit from recent stimulus measures. But it won’t last

The case of Brazilian retail behemoth Magazine Luiza illustrates the challenges facing the country’s retail sector. The government’s electorally-motivated stimulus measures will provide a boost for retailers after a post-pandemic slump, but only in the short term

J&F’s beef with Paper Excellence not over yet

A court decision that was supposed to end Brazil’s largest corporate dispute in years might still be challenged

Tech roundup: A look at the 5G debut in Brazil

5G officially launches in São Paulo, but we take a look at how companies are already using the technology around the country

Tech roundup: Brazil’s video game problem

The flip side to the boom in Brazil’s video game industry is excessive usage, and high levels of associated problems, among young Brazilians

Tech Roundup: Brazil big ICT spenders

With a growing digital economy, Brazil is spending much more on ICT, with the sector hitting its highest forecasts in eight years

YouTube removal of Bolsonaro video is more PR than policy

The big tech giant pats itself on the back for removing disinformation spread by the president, but its moves have not been consequential

How Eve plans to get its urban air mobility vehicle flying by 2026

The Embraer spin-off has attracted some heavyweight partners since the start of its solo flight in 2020. The key to bringing in investors is Eve's capacity to actually produce such a machine on a commercial scale

Explaining Brazil #210: Pro-democracy pushback

As President Jair Bolsonaro's anti-democratic antics grow in volume, banks and tycoons become vocal in their defense of democracy. A coup, after all, is bad for business

Explaining Brazil #209: The state of monkeypox in Brazil

Brazil has over 1,300 confirmed cases of monkeypox. With the exception of Peru’s 275 confirmed cases, no other Latin American countries have hit the 100-case mark, making Brazil the region's monkeypox hotspot

Explaining Brazil #208: Electoral gears start to heat up

The main candidacies in Brazil's presidential election in October have been made official by their parties. We discuss what that changes in the race

Explaining Brazil #207: Anitta enters the presidential race

Arguably Brazil's biggest pop star of the moment, singer Anitta has endorsed former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — and is even giving him campaign advice

Explaining Brazil #206: Fears of political violence grow

The murder of a Workers' Party official spells a bad omen for Brazil's upcoming general election

House committee to vote on amnesty for Brazil’s worst prison massacre

The 1992 Carandiru massacre is the bloodiest episode of prison violence in Brazil’s recent history. A House committee could now vote to get the ball rolling on amnestying the perpetrators

With monkeypox threat, Brazil risks repeating Covid failures

The Health Ministry claims to have ordered vaccines but The Brazilian Report understands that approval has not been sought

After six months, Brazil still has not rolled out enough vaccines for children

Following an analysis of public data, The Brazilian Report understands that Brazil still doesn't have enough Covid jabs for children

Anvisa greenlights CoronaVac for kids aged 3 to 5

Regulators have authorized the use of the Sinovac-developed Covid vaccine on children aged 3 to 5, but officials have already used the lion's share of available stocks

Brazil is on the verge of a drug shortage

A recent survey shows that there is a lack of drugs and other medical supplies in Brazil’s hospitals and health centers. The government says it has already done all it can in response

‘Poison bill’ could progress this month, environment and human rights bodies are furious

The controversial bill would drastically change pesticide regulations, making it considerably easier for new and potentially harmful products to be licensed for use

Petrobras fines being used to set model for environmental compensation

Over BRL 100 million in compensation paid by Petrobras for a 2001 diesel leak has taken decades to reach its intended target, but environmental agencies hope latest deal will set an example

The disappearing vegetation of Mato Grosso

Literally translated as 'thick vegetation,' the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso has been changed dramatically by the power of major agribusiness, and the forest cover which gave it its name is now largely gone

Caatinga region to have Brazil’s first carbon credit cooperative

Landowners in the semi-arid Northeast are keen on getting involved in the carbon market, but their properties are too small to generate credits in the traditional manner

Bolsonaro feigns a return of the Amazon Fund

After ignoring and gutting the Amazon Fund for years, the Jair Bolsonaro administration now appears to want to revive it. Experts remain skeptical, however