DIGITAL MEDIA
Digital campaigning is redefining Brazil’s congressional races
In mature “digital ecosystems,” candidates can leverage data-driven segmentation and social targeting effectively. Photo: Prathan Karnpap/Shutterstock
When Brazilians elected their 513 House members in 2022, much of the campaigning unfolded not on the streets, but in the algorithmic corridors of Facebook and Instagram. A study by researchers at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) found that digital strategy — particularly social media ad spending — played a crucial role in determining who entered Congress.
In a partnership with the campaign technology startup Arena Digital, PUC-Rio’s Communication Politics Research Group analyzed data from all 513 lawmakers elected in 2022, examining their Facebook and Instagram engagement, spending on digital ads and overall campaign expenses. The researchers analyzed the official campaign period, from July to October 2022, creating four measures of online performance…
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