Strategies of gender informational disorder: narratives about women in politics

By: FGV Direito Rio 

• Women in politics are often the target of attacks marked by a higher degree of violence and toxicity. The messages directed at them resort to misogynistic, racist, and transphobic discourses, reinforcing gender stereotypes and structural discrimination.
•  Racialized and left-wing women are targets of more aggressive attacks more often than white, right-wing women aligned with conservative values.
•  In addition to "Disinformation Only", we identified four gendered strategies mobilized against women on the networks: (i) Undermining, (ii) Dehumanization, (iii) Fetishization, and (iv) Gendered Disinformation. 
• The categories Undermining and Dehumanization added up to more than 95% of the posts. The data indicates a higher prevalence of targeted attacks containing insults, offenses, and hate speech. 

Presentation 

This report consolidates the main findings of five reports on online gender political violence (OGPV), produced by the FGV Direito Rio (FGV Rio Law) team within the scope of the Media and Democracy Project. By gathering the comments and posts directed to women in politics collected for the elaboration of such reports, our main objective was to understand what are the discursive patterns that appear repeatedly in such data sets.

 In this sense, in a preliminary examination with data from four reports, we identified the presence of narrative strategies aimed at (1) disqualifying; (2) undermining; (3) sexualizing; and (4) misinforming (based on gender stereotypes) the characters in the reports. The results of this analysis were presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of ANPOCS and published in preprint format in Scielo. For this report, we have also added data from another survey conducted by the team to gather as much data as possible for analysis. This effort seeks to offer a more detailed understanding of the manifestations of violence against women in politics on digital platforms, and how these interactions can affect political participation and the public perception of such characters. This report is divided into three main sections, in addition to this presentation and methodology. The first section explores what we conceptualize as "strategies of gender informational disorder", addressing what characterizes this phenomenon, the typologies that shape it, and the presentation of examples present in the reports examined. The second section presents the main results of the examination of the data collected. Finally, based on the analysis of these datasets, the last section provides recommendations for digital platforms and policymakers.

 This report consolidates the main findings of five reports on online gender political violence (OGPV), produced by the FGV Direito Rio (FGV Rio Law) team within the scope of the Media and Democracy Project. By gathering the comments and posts directed to women in politics collected for the elaboration of such reports, our main objective was to understand what are the discursive patterns that appear repeatedly in such data sets. 

Methodology

 This report was prepared based on data from comments and posts analyzed in five publications by the FGV Rio Law team in the Media and Democracy Project during 2023-2024. They are:

See here Table 1: Publications containing the original data

The data from these reports were extracted with the help of the team from FGV's School of Communication, Media, and Information. 

Specific search syntaxes, or queries, were constructed for each work. Detailed information on this process can be found in each publication referenced above. The comments and posts of the five reports were gathered in a single database, totaling 5,776 items for the present analysis. Of this total, 2,075 were discarded during the analysis because they did not have thematic relevance or did not constitute attacks on the characters relevant to the research. The remaining 3,701 comments or posts were manually classified by the FGV Rio Law≠≠ team, based on five categories: (i) Undermining; (ii) Dehumanization; (iii) Fetishization; (iv) Gendered Disinformation, and (v) Disinformation only. 

Strategies of Gender Informational Disorder

 1. What we understand as "Gender Informational Disorder"

•  According to Wardle and Derakhsan (2024), "informational disorder" consists of a phenomenon in digital communication in which there is significant use of a range of narrative strategies to manipulate public debate. Such strategies include the use of truthful information but presented in a decontextualized way (misinformation); partially correct or entirely false information (disinformation); or truthful information, but private, mobilized to generate damage to someone's image (malinformation).
•  Strategies of informational disorder characterize the contemporary public debate. Articulated as a way to mobilize social groups for certain agendas, affect candidacies, the fairness of elections, and the reputation of democratic institutions, they often also constitute modalities of attacks directed at figures belonging to political minorities, such as women, racialized people, and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
•  Based on the set of data analyzed by the FGV Direito Rio team within the scope of the Media and Democracy Project, we consider the need for a specific look at the gender perspective in digital communication. We identified in all reports aimed at examining topics involving women in politics the presence of specific narratives, articulated to affect their reputations, based on strategies that mobilize moral indignation and gender stereotypes.
•  In the article "Gender and online politics: political violence and informational disorder practices", we present the concept of "gendered informational disorder" to give materiality to this phenomenon. Gendered informational disorder is characterized by the existence of frequent narrative strategies that aim to manipulate the digital political debate, based on gender stereotypes and moral appeal, to harm women in politics.
•  Attacks and insults against women in politics can be articulated in different ways. In our reports, we note the presence of strategies related to the gender of political figures, beyond mere disinformation (herein categorized as "Disinformation Only"). Based on this identification, the gendered strategies were categorized into four typologies: (i) Undermining, (ii) Dehumanization, (iii) Fetishization, and (iv) Gendered Disinformation. 

2.Typologies 

• Undermining: this category encompasses comments marked by irony and mockery, to disqualify or ridicule a character, especially to themes traditionally associated with the masculine, such as politics and economics. It manifests itself from degrading nicknames, and accusations of lack of ability, capacity, or preparedness to exercise a certain position or professional function. In addition, ageism also works here as a way to disqualify women for certain positions, accusing them of being too young or too old to be in politics. 

  Examples: These left-wing deputies are good for nothing 

  Another old woman in politics! Enough of the old politics, it's time to renew. 

  MY GOD IN HEAVEN, WHAT DID A LITTLE BRAT LIKE THAT EAT AND FREAK OUT? SOMEONE PLEASE CALL THIS GIRL'S FATHER AND TELL HER TO DO IT AND PLAY SOMEWHERE ELSE PLEASE.... MY FATHER IN HEAVEN, A BRAT WANTING TO SOLVE SÃO PAULO'S PROBLEM WITH THE PCC, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT? FOR GOD'S SAKE, THE PEOPLE NEED TO GROW, THIS IS NOT A STUDENT UNION, MAN....STOP WITH THAT, SOMEONE NEEDS TO TAKE THINGS SERIOUSLY DUDE, THIS GIRL SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE THE COURAGE TO APPLY... 

• Dehumanization: This category encompasses content that depicts people or groups through discrimination and human rights violations, including hate speech. Specifically, it refers to posts and comments that aim to delegitimize and annihilate the presence of women in politics, whether in a general or specific way. The messages go beyond everyday sexism or milder offenses, often involving racism, misogyny, transphobia, death threats and/or sexual violence, desires for destruction, questions about the sanity of the victims, and any discourse that explicitly suggests or defends the exclusion of these women from the public space. 

  Examples: So let's take the black people to the crops. Then it solves two problems Voting for a woman is a certificate of stupidity The Deputies cannot be revoked. Hahahahah.... hahahahah it's already Carnival... or is it fashionable to dress up as the Bahian woman to dress up as Indians from the Page Gallery in São Paulo 

• Fetishization: This category encompasses messages that objectify and sexualize individuals, usually women and/or people from minority groups, reducing their relevance to purely physical aspects. Thus, this category includes posts and comments that focus on the aesthetic appearance of women in politics, often involving harassment and sexual content. In a context of wide gender inequality in politics, the comments reinforce female objectification. In this process, while women are reduced to their physical qualities, their identity, skills, and achievements are disregarded or devalued. 

  Examples: Tabata Amaral is a kitty a pity she is leftist and communist 😖😖😖😖I stay away from leftist 😤😤 woman Poorly "Beloved" deputies, to say the least. But the government they support is misogynistic and sexist. By the way, who in their right mind will want to lie with red dragons?! None is worth anything. I'm going to vote for the candidate Marina Helena. At least it will beautify the city hall 

• Gendered disinformation: Gendered disinformation differs from simple disinformation by using, in addition to untrue facts, gender stereotypes to tarnish the image of a certain political figure based on moral indignation. It is common to use language permeated by misogynistic perspectives on the role of women in society. In this way, in addition to merely misinforming, this narrative strategy aims to influence social perceptions about a certain character in politics, based on cis heteronormative expectations about gender. Thus, content that promotes gendered disinformation seeks to raise questions about the private lives, reputation, and intentions of women in politics, associating them with behaviors that do not fit into what would be socially expected or desired for the female gender. 

  Examples: LOOK AT THOSE WHO DEFEND ABORTION. THE DEATH OF A FEMALE CHILD

  AI DEFENDS WOMEN Marta is a traitor with a lot huh.. She betrayed the PT, Dilma and now she betrayed the mayor of SP for whom she was working, 🤭 You have to stay with 👀 her! Taliria was carried drunk, passed out and put her in a deserted place in her car. Disinformation only: this category includes comments and posts that contain untrue, incomplete, or decontextualized information about a political figure. Examples: Political racism: people in political office who spend half their budget on unnecessary travel while many don't have the money to pay for a bus ticket Boulos and Tábata are sponsored by the big financial groups, I think they understand each other. Kataguria too, but I think it would be ugly for MBL, so he should go to Nunes. Marta made a deal with lula-thief if she doesn't win she will have a ministry. The gang always wanting to suck

 3. Narratives in the reports 

Graph 1: Frequency of narratives identified in the reports 

• In the total of 3,701 posts analyzed, 58.61% of them were categorized as Inferiority, 36.72% as Dehumanization, 4.9% as Gendered Disinformation, 2.38% as Disinformation Only, and 0.35% as Fetishization. 
• 3,531 posts were categorized as Undermining and Dehumanization - there may be posts classified with more than one category - which represents 95.4% of the total. The other three categories together total 4.6%, which makes them residual.

 Key results

• On all platforms analyzed throughout the project – YouTube, Facebook, X, and Instagram – women continue to be constant targets of offenses and discrimination of various kinds. The analyses also identified the occurrence of offenses directed at male candidates. However, offenses directed at women are usually characterized by a higher level of aggressiveness and toxicity. Often, there is an evident characterization of misogynistic and racist hate speech, allowed by the platforms, despite the existence of content moderation rules. Among the strategies mobilized, as we see in Graph 1, inferiority appears more recurrently in the attack on women, mostly to discredit them (58.61%). These are statements that women do not have the competence and/or qualification to hold political or leadership positions, insinuating that their skills are focused only on the domestic environment. These are, therefore, stereotypes linked to the social gender role that is expected of women in society.

   Examples: 

  What is the job of Mariele's sister. To be the sister of a dead woman. A minister who doesn't do any crap. And a counselor in a state-owned steel company without knowing the difference between magnesium and manganese! 

  Another old trash that doesn't let go of the political bone! 

  This old woman should take care of her grandchildren

   Go wash a leftist outfit with no future 

  TABATA IS DIRTY LIKE YOUR PRESIDENT, THIS LOW-LEVEL WOMAN HAS NO PROFILE TO MANAGE EVEN THE KITCHEN OF HER HOUSE

•  Regarding messages with content that aims to dehumanize women in politics, we found 36.72% with this type of content. In particular, transphobic attacks directed at Duda Salabert (PDT-MG) and racist comments directed at Minister Aniele Franco. 

  Examples: And Duda doesn't know if it's a man or a woman, confusing the gender in the answer 😂😂 

  Kkkkkkk this gentleman duda is an aberration 

  Ms. Duda????? I'm looking here, I didn't find it. What I see in the dispute is a man calling himself a woman, for God's sake, where are we going to stop with so many absurdities??? Human beings have lost all common sense and respect for themselves. And the worst, lack of fear of God!! ✍️ 

  @aniellefranco you amoeba Change the whites to the favela and see if there will be no fucking flooding ... Shut up, you fools 

  @aniellefranco a tip, dig a hole and live in it, without light (because the light is white) live in the darkness and don't be ashamed said, person like you has to live in darkness and live 'normally', when using filter use the charcoal (don't be ashamed) we will be happy to see the black color, and so life goes on 😂 

• In previous reports (Gender Political Violence and Disinformation in São Paulo's Pre-Campaign and Online Gender Political Violence in Municipal Elections), we identified that racialized women and left-wing women are targets of attacks with a higher frequency and level of aggressiveness than white women and right-wing women. This finding reflects general patterns of online behavior already found in the literature and points to the use of platforms as environments in which users feel comfortable disseminating violent, misogynistic, and racist discourse, especially to left-wing women.
• Also noteworthy is the way in which the female figure is politically mobilized to attack male candidates, particularly by sexualizing women linked to them. In an indirect way, therefore, the misogynistic act of fetishizing candidates' wives, in addition to attacking them, dehumanizes them to the extent that it makes them an extension of their spouse and reaffirms stereotypes that perpetuate online gender violence.

Examples:

What a woman, then Marçal lost again. Nunes has more money too.

Nunes' wife is just in this minute of video, you can see that she is totally unbalanced.

Nunes to his wife: "If I lose because of you, the slipper will sing"

• Importantly, to identify the discursive strategies of gender-based political violence online, we worked primarily with user posts and comments on the platforms in a limited period, as detailed in each publication. The closure of the APIs of the main social networks throughout the project, made it difficult to map gender political violence for longer periods and from other types of content, such as deep nudes. Deep nudes or fake nudes are images (photos or videos) altered with artificial intelligence (AI) to sexualize victims and attack them. Although it was not possible to monitor the use of this tactic specifically, it is also part of the list of strategies for gender information disorder and substantially harms the presence of women in the public sphere. 

Recommendations for platforms and policymakers

• Continuous auditing of automated systems and updating based on effectiveness and user feedback so that platforms are adapted to the dynamics of online gender-based violence and, where possible, can prevent further abuse.
• Hiring local moderators specialized in gender-based violence to ensure a culturally sensitive approach to moderating gender-based content. In addition, offer training and support for the execution of the work.
• Ensure human review of appeals of automated content moderation decisions to protect users' rights.
• Updated Community Policies to explicitly include online gender-based violence tactics, providing a clear and consistent legal basis for responding to these abuses and protecting victims.
• Expand the use of media matching technologies to curb and mitigate the spread of deep nudes. Establish cross-platform partnerships to prevent the transfer and dissemination of this type of content from one network to another.
• Collaborate with the academic community and civil society organizations by making data on activities on the platforms available, respecting the rights of users, carrying out research, and improving contributions to the content moderation activity.

Prepared by:

This report was produced by the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio within the scope of the Media and Democracy Project.

Authorship:

Yasmin Curzi (Professor at FGV Direito Rio, Coordinator of the "Media and Democracy" Project at the Law School)

Carolina Peterli (Researcher of the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio/ "Media and Democracy" Project)

Fernanda Gomes (Researcher of the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio/ "Media and Democracy" Project)

Giullia Thomaz (Researcher of the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio/ "Media and Democracy" Project)

Hana Mesquita (Researcher of the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio/ "Media and Democracy" Project)

Iris Rosa (Researcher of the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio/ "Media and Democracy" Project)

Isabella Markendorf Marins (Researcher of the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio/ "Media and Democracy" Project)

Lorena Abbas (Researcher at the Diversity & Inclusion Program at FGV Direito Rio/ "Media and Democracy" Project)

Notes:

1. Curzi de Mendonça, Y., de Souza Gomes, F., Marques Thomaz Ferreira, G., & Mesquita Amaral Ferreira, H. (2024). GENDER AND ONLINE POLITICS: POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND INFORMATIONAL DISORDER PRACTICES. In SciELO Preprints. https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.10222. 

2. WARDLE, C.; DERAKHSHAN, H. Information Disorder: Toward an interdisciplinary framework for research and policy making. [s.l.] Council of Europe, 2017. Available at: <https://rm.coe.int/information-disorder-toward-an-interdisciplinary-framework-for-researc/168076277c>. Access on: 26 Aug. 2024.

3. CARREIRO, R. GUERRA, E.; SANTOS, N.; ALMADA M.P.Carreiro, R.; Guerra, E.; Santos, N.; Almada, M. P. Racism for what? The strategies of racist discourses on the networks. Salvador: Aláfia Lab, 2024.

4. CARNIEL et al. Gender and humor in social networks: the campaign against Dilma Rousseff in Brazil. Public Opinion Magazine.

5. KHAN, I. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. [s.l.] United Nations General Assembly, 7 Aug. 2023

6. See, for example, Nadim, M., & Fladmoe, A. (2021). Silencing Women? Gender and Online Harassment. Social Science Computer Review, 39(2), 245-258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439319865518