Brazil: over 37,000 online attacks against journalists recorded in one month as local elections approach
During the 2024 electoral period, the Coalition in Defense of Journalism (CDJor), of which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is a member, has been actively monitoring social media platforms to track attacks on journalists and analyze patterns of hostility towards the press in the digital space. In the first month of this investigation, CDJor identified over 37,000 offensive posts and found a troubling connection between these attacks and the growing political polarization in Brazil.
After just one month of monitoring the social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, CDJor documented over 37,000 offensive and derogatory posts targeting the Brazilian press. CDJor’s project seeks to analyse social media content in the run-up to and aftermath of Brazil’s municipal elections, scheduled for 6 and 27 October. In collaboration with the Laboratory of Internet and Data Science (Labic) at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), CDJor has been tracking around 200 accounts belonging to journalists, media outlets, and mayoral candidates since 15 August. The attacks vary from comments about the media to direct assaults on individual journalists and outlets. Words like "trash," "activist," "shame," and "rotten" are frequently used to undermine the credibility of these professionals.
“The alarming volume of these insulting posts confirms that the practice of attacking journalism has become deeply ingrained in Brazil, particularly during voting periods, and is fueled by political polarization. It is vital that both authorities and the public take this issue seriously, as it poses a real threat to citizens' right to information during elections. Journalists who are repeatedly targeted online may end up silenced, which would be a loss for democracy. Digital platforms urgently need to address this violent rhetoric and ensure a healthier environment for public debate.
The first month of monitoring the election campaign revealed the following trends:
- Many of the online aggressors associate journalistic work with a perceived left-wing ideological agenda, reinforcing a narrative that discredits media impartiality. The posts demonstrate that those who attack the press also tend to attack key political figures, particularly President Lula.
- The most frequent attackers often mention former President Jair Bolsonaro in their profiles and criticize the "STF dictatorship," referring to rulings by Brazil’s Supreme Court against Bolsonaro’s supporters. These users tend to align with the far-right political spectrum.
- Brazil’s largest media outlets are frequent targets, especially television networks and newspapers owned by the Globo Group.
- While it’s rare for a political candidate to attack a journalist directly, the profiles of candidates across many different parties frequently include rhetoric designed to undermine the credibility of the media in general. This is both a self-promotion strategy and a preemptive defense against journalists’ criticism of their policies and proposals.
After the social media platform X was blocked in Brazil on 31 August, there was a significant drop in online attacks. Roughly 90% of the documented attacks occurred on this platform, highlighting its role as an especially hostile environment for journalism and press freedom under Elon Musk’s ownership.
Outside social media, CDJor recorded at least seven physical or verbal attacks against journalists across the nine major cities that were monitored. These incidents primarily occured when candidates took offense at challenging questions during political rallies or interviews.
About the Coalition
The Coalition in Defense of Journalism is a partnership of 11 civil society organizations advocating for press freedom. Its key areas of focus include the protection and safety of journalists, the sustainability of journalism and information integrity.
