Digital Media, Elections, and Democracy in Brazil: A Qualitative Approach to Studying the Perceptions of Campaign Professionals

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the consequences of digital campaigns on elections and democracy in Brazil. To do so, it relies on an empirical study analyzing the perceptions of campaign professionals on how theinternet affects Brazilian electoral platforms. To this end, we conducted 28 semi-structured interviews to which we applied a thematic analysis of content. Its application allowed us to identify three highly mentioned themes: “democratization”, “fake news”, and “segmentation.” Then, we searched for interviewees’ perceptions of these themes to reflect on what these ideas may mean for Brazil’s electoral processes and democracy. Ultimately, we argue that the analyzed perceptions point to a political context pressured by transformation, of which fake news is a strategic element. Furthermore, they indicate a growing fragmentation of political communication within the country.