How did WhatsApp misinformation impact the 2018 Brazilian presidential election?

WhatsApp misinformation in the 2018 Brazilian election involved pro-Bolsonaro groups sending thousands of fake messages about Fernando Haddad and the Workers' Party, reaching more than 12 million people. The false content painted the left-wing candidates as corrupt and tied to organized crime, and also spread rumors of violence and voter fraud to create panic. The impact on voter behavior was debated, but Brazilian analysts considered it a contributing factor to the polarized election, which Bolsonaro won with 55% of the vote.

During the 2018 Brazilian presidential election, WhatsApp was used to spread impactful misinformation. According to the case study, electoral analysis groups declared much of the content false, and pro-Bolsonaro users sent thousands of messages concerning candidate Fernando Haddad and the Workers' Party. A study by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo found that this fake news reached more than 12 million Brazilians, with many messages portraying Haddad and the left-wing party as corrupt and aligned with organized crime. The campaign also spread rumors of violence and voter fraud, which instilled panic and distrust among voters. It later emerged that pro-Bolsonaro groups organized a vast network of paid people to disseminate fake news through WhatsApp, crafting messages to play on emotion and bias and tailoring them to specific areas or social groups. There were also reports of illegal campaign financing, with businesses accused of using WhatsApp to spread false content. While the exact influence on voter behavior is debated, observers at the time did not doubt that misinformation contributed to the election's polarizing nature. Bolsonaro won with 55% of the vote, and many analysts believe his supporters' mobilization and public opinion were aided by this social media misinformation.