Algorithm opacity and data discrepancies raise concerns in Brazil elections

The integrity of the Brazilian electoral process faces scrutiny due to the lack of transparency in social media algorithms and significant discrepancies in digital audience measurement.

Experts warn that opaque recommendation algorithms on major digital platforms foster public distrust and speculation. The current trend of tech companies restricting access to internal data and limiting independent research makes external audits difficult, leading to questions regarding the impartiality of content distribution.

Additionally, a study conducted during the 2026 first-round elections involving 18 regional news portals revealed that Google Analytics recorded only 49.7% of actual page views. While server-side measurements identified 80,200 human-driven page views, the analytics tool captured less than half of that traffic. This discrepancy highlights potential issues for media outlets, advertisers, and public agencies that rely on these tools to measure journalistic reach and determine investments.