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Brazil 2026 elections face surge in AI deepfakes
The 2026 Brazilian election campaign is facing a significant surge in AI-generated disinformation. A report by the VigIA project, a collaboration between the Lupa fact-checking agency and Unicamp, found that 554 deepfakes were identified among 920 pieces of content produced or modified with artificial intelligence between August 16 and September 28. These deepfakes represent 60% of the total AI-related content analyzed.
Commonly used tactics include creating videos that simulate journalists delivering false news or celebrities falsely declaring political support. Notable targets of these manipulations include Anitta, Caetano Veloso, Neymar, and Virginia Fonseca. In one instance, Fonseca’s representatives denied a video showing her supporting Flávio Bolsonaro was authentic.
The report highlights that while 29 deepfakes were disseminated by candidates or political parties, the vast majority—525 posts—were created by common or anonymous users, posing a major challenge for electoral oversight. The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) has prohibited deepfakes in propaganda that could deceive voters, noting that violations can lead to the revocation of candidacies or mandates.
In a separate statement, TSE President Kassio Nunes Marques addressed concerns regarding international interference, asserting that democratic nations engage in technical dialogue and knowledge exchange rather than interfering in the sovereign electoral processes of other nations.
Entities
Brazil · Kassio Nunes Marques · Lupa · Tribunal Superior Eleitoral · Unicamp · Universidade Estadual de Campinas · VigIA
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) has prohibited the use of deepfakes in electoral propaganda if they have the potential to deceive voters. www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · jornalenoticias.com.br · mauaagora.com.br · saobentoemfoco.com.br · ultimosegundo.ig.com.br
- [● 5 SOURCES] Twenty-nine of the identified deepfakes were published by profiles belonging to candidates or political parties. www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · jornalenoticias.com.br · mauaagora.com.br · saobentoemfoco.com.br · ultimosegundo.ig.com.br
- [● 5 SOURCES] The VigIA project identified 554 deepfakes out of 920 AI-modified contents analyzed during the 2026 election campaign. www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · jornalenoticias.com.br · mauaagora.com.br · saobentoemfoco.com.br · ultimosegundo.ig.com.br
- [○ 1 SOURCE] TSE President Kassio Nunes Marques stated that democratic nations engage in dialogue and exchange knowledge rather than interfering in each other's electoral processes. sbtnews.sbt.com.br
- [● 5 SOURCES] The majority of false content, totaling 525 posts, was produced by common or anonymous users. www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · jornalenoticias.com.br · mauaagora.com.br · saobentoemfoco.com.br · ultimosegundo.ig.com.br
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The press office of influencer Virginia Fonseca denied that she recorded or published a video supporting Flávio Bolsonaro. br.paipee.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Deepfakes accounted for 60% of the 920 AI-generated or modified publications analyzed between August 16 and September 28. www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · jornalenoticias.com.br · mauaagora.com.br · saobentoemfoco.com.br · ultimosegundo.ig.com.br