Abstract
The use of bots, artificial intelligence software that emulates human behavior, has become significant in Brazilian politics since the 2014 elections, when 11% of social media interactions involving candidates such as Dilma Rousseff and Aécio Neves were attributed to bots (SANTOS, 2017). These bots, active on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, generate content to amplify political positions, creating the false impression of widespread support. Research indicates that 60.9% of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s Twitter followers were fake or bots. This research aims to understand the construction of the “robot voter” and its role in the contemporary democratic landscape. The study is positioned within the Sociology of Emotions (CLARK, 2007), the Sociology and Anthropology of Value (GRAEBER, 2013), and digital studies (CASTELLS, 2005). To this end, qualitative techniques, such as semi-structured interviews with bot developers and political marketing specialists are employed to understand how these software systems shape voter behavior. The central hypothesis suggests that bots radicalize political behavior and bring voters closer to charismatic leaders through intense emotions and aggressive performances (WERNECK, 2019). Furthermore, the relationship between bots and the construction of leadership is analyzed in light of Barthes’ (2015) notion of myth. Finally, the discussion addresses how the ambiguous regulation of platforms fosters a competitive and unregulated environment, as noted by Howard (2018) and Broussard (2018).
Presenters
Olga Chistina De Oliveira ZuninoStudent, PhD Candidate, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Artificial inteligence; Digital sociology; Electoral behavior; Digital politics
