In the Brazilian digital scene, social media platforms are arenas of heated discussions and also intense toxicity, especially for women. Those who excel in areas such as politics, science and culture often face harassment, attacks and an avalanche of negative comments on their online profiles that reinforce gender stereotypes.
Even insults considered “less serious,” when repeated ad nauseam, create a hostile environment that can trigger a cycle of silencing, in which important voices feel discouraged from participating in political debate or sharing opinions. If nothing changes, institutional politics will continue to lose great female talents.
Monitoring political gender violence
In 2020, when the AzMina Institute, InternetLab and Núcleo Jornalismo launched MonitorAan observatory of digital gender political violence, it was possible to access data from the main platforms that operated in the country: the old Twitter (current X), the Meta social networks (Instagram and Facebook) and YouTube. There was also a communication channel with legal representatives of these big tech companies, who accepted suggestions and opened themselves to fruitful conversations about how to create a safe online environment for all communities, especially those underrepresented in spaces of power.
In the first two editions, the observatory’s data and analysis helped victim candidates understand the dynamics of online political violence and defend themselves in public debates and even in judicial proceedings. The material was also transformed into reports, content for social networks and technical reports for political advocacy.
behind closed doors
Four years later, in the 2024 municipal elections in Brazil, the scenario that our research team finds is different: we witnessed the purchase of X by billionaire Elon Musk; the closure of CrowdTangle, the tool that allowed open and free monitoring of Meta networks; and also the closure of X’s office in Brazil, followed by a decision by the Federal Superior Court (STF) that blocked the use of the platform throughout the country.
Beyond the legal discussions on digital sovereignty, it is a fact that the lack of a headquarters or a legal representative makes it difficult to comply with judicial decisions on content moderation, communication with the press, the government and the users themselves.
In the 2022 general elections, we manually analyzed more than 10 thousand collected tweets in a week of campaign. Of these, more than 3 thousand were attacks and/or insults directed at only 97 candidates. Two years later, daily experience shows us that this violence continues, but technically, we are unable to analyze its dynamics without breaking the law.
In 2024, with access only to YouTube data, we can evaluate conversation among voters, but not insults directed at female candidates. So far, we have already evaluated more than 8 thousand comments made in debate broadcasts, and more than half contain some type of offense to the candidates.
Opacity scenario
Transparency and accountability mechanisms are powerful tools to confront the toxicity of digital environments. But at this moment, with the exception of YouTube, no platform operating in Brazil – with or without representation in the country – offers free and open access to its data.
Our political conversation happens there, fueling the powerful attention economy for ad sales, but it cannot be monitored. Lack of access compromises the creation and implementation of effective policies to combat digital violence, perpetuating an unsafe environment and silencing female and many other voices, such as those of racialized people or people with disabilities.
Regulation is urgent
As the “data blackout” persists, it is crucial that civil society, organizations and government come together to confront online toxicity, and that the platforms themselves wake up to the problem. The transformation of this scenario begins with media education at all levels – from campaigns for standard users to training for communications industry executives and politicians -, in order to commit to a digital space that promotes equality and I respect.
In addition to this, we believe in the urgency of solid public governance policies in the field of communications and technology, in a broad debate that involves public power and the senior management of large technology companies. Only then can we move towards an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can express themselves freely and safely.
*Bárbara Libório is content director and Ana Carolina Araújo is journalism and data project manager at the feminist magazine AzMina.
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