Cyber Politics and the Quality of Brazilian Democracy

Abstract: Internet regulation during electoral campaigns is an urgent subject. For decision-making processes to be effectively democratic, it is imperative that voters be well informed and confident about the information they receive both offline and online. Additionally, political institutions involved in decision-making processes must be protected from coordinated attacks arising from social networks. Moreover, legislators and institutions responsible for electoral integrity must develop instruments to constrain political actors, thus persuading them to behave appropriately. Otherwise, lax oversight of the electoral process could threaten democracy. Recent electoral experiences in the United States and Brazil show that social media has profoundly increased the impact of misinformation within democratic systems. In both cases, concerns about how ‘alternative facts’, widespread on social media, impacted heavily on decision-making protocols. Taking due precautions to avoid the many traps that involve comparative analysis between the United States and Brazil, it is possible to grasp valuable lessons from these experiences. The United States 2020 Presidential Election showed that even political institutions bound to consolidated democracies may experience difficulties dealing with populist incumbents that operate alternative facts without restraint. Fortunately, the transfer of power occurred without long-lasting damage to political institutions. However, is it safe to say that a young and flawed democracy such as Brazil has the institutional strength to endure the same hardships? What should be done to prevent them? This paper presents a general overview of the aforementioned challenges, focusing on the deficiencies associated with the Brazilian case and using the United States as a frame of reference. Three main historical-structural factors contribute to the Brazilian dilemma. Firstly, disillusionment with economic liberalism, unable to adequately and consistently distribute wealth and prosperity. Secondly, the inability of the Brazilian political system and mainstream political actors to respond to problems created by recurrent cycles of economic and political crises that have occurred over the past 30 years. Thirdly, the periodic interference of the military in Brazilian politics created a scenario of institutional frailty, either by interventions or through participation in the democratic political process. The main consequence is that a substantial proportion of the electorate has turned to politicians, President Jair Bolsonaro included, that use online platforms to create highly organized social movements and aggressively promote the harassment of political institutions, the opposition, mainstream media, and liberal democracy as a whole. This paper concludes by emphasizing that the consolidation of Brazilian democracy requires profound institutional changes, restoring public confidence in the political system, and preventing democratic backsliding. Furthermore, that it is not safe to assert that Brazil has the institutional strength to overcome these challenges by itself.