This paper presents results of research on the use of the internet by presidential candidates and the 406 candidates for state governments and senatorial elections of October 2010 in Brazil. The results point to a pattern of web use different from the one detected in previous elections, with two basic characteristics: (i) attenuation of the digital divide between candidates from different regions of the country and the tendency of standardization of internet use by candidates; (ii) widespread use of social media by candidates, with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube replacing traditional mechanisms of online interaction such as blogs, forums and chats. Data indicates that in the 2010 electoral campaign the use of internet in Brazil may have strengthened mechanisms of accountability, strategic coordination between militants and the development of more personalized messages to voters by candidates, but there were few cases of mobilization by web 2.0 tools and deliberation among multiple participants on the internet.
Co-author: Danilo Rothberg (UNESP/Brazil)
