Online LGBT-phobia Reports Surge During Election Years in Brazil

According to a study published in the scientific journal Revista GEMInIS, the number of reported cases of LGBT-phobia on the internet in Brazil increases significantly during national and municipal election years. The authors of the paper relied on data from the Brazilian non-profit organization SaferNet and the Federal Public Ministry (MPF).

In 2018, the number of reports regarding hate speech against LGBT people grew by 63.7% compared to the previous year. In 2020, this figure increased by 92.3%, and in 2022 by 51.9%. Overall, between 2018 and 2022, the number of such incidents rose by 61%, reaching 6,829 reported cases annually. A similar trend during election periods was also noted regarding racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and religious intolerance.

Researchers attribute the spikes in hate speech to politicians and influencers using “moral threat” topics (such as claims about “gender ideology” or the sexualization of children) as a tool for societal polarization. According to sociologist Renato Contente, this maximizes organic reach on social media.

Additionally, platform algorithms tend to promote content that provokes anger or other strong negative emotions, as this drives audience engagement and, consequently, ad revenue growth. Experts note that traditional moderation based on user complaints is often ineffective during elections, as the content manages to go viral before it gets removed.