NetLab study finds electoral ad irregularities in Brazil

A study by NetLab at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) has identified numerous electoral irregularities on major social media platforms during the Brazilian elections. According to the findings, hundreds of political advertisements remained active during the mandatory electoral blackout period, which prohibits paid propaganda from 48 hours before to 24 hours after voting.

The research identified 568 irregular advertisements across Meta platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Additionally, 18 electoral ads were found active on Kwai on election day. The study also noted candidate video recommendations on TikTok and YouTube, as well as irregular advertising on Google.

Of particular concern were six posts that impersonated the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) to promote a fraudulent remote voting method via mobile phones or at home. These posts targeted individuals with health issues or mobility difficulties and directed users to websites requesting their CPF (Brazilian tax identification number).