Platforms, Personalism, and Propaganda: The Digital Investment of the Far Right in Brazil and the Reconfiguration of Political Mediation

This article analyzes how Brazil’s far-right movement –especially its digital expression in bolsonarism– has strategically appropriated social media platforms to build a political communication infrastructure grounded in personalization, informality, and ideological performance. Drawing on a critical and empirical approach, the article explores the digital investments made by bolsonarist candidates and conservative advertisers during and outside electoral cycles, with a focus on the 2024 municipal elections. It argues that this digital ecosystem functions as a «parallel party»,combining sophisticated campaign technologies with informal and unregulated practices. The findings reveal a continuous flow of advertising investment aimed at sustaining ideological engagement beyond institutional boundaries. Through the lens of political communication and democratic theory, the article identifies three defining features of Brazil’s far-right digital strategy: strategic informality, radical personalization, and structural asymmetries in technological access. It concludes that these dynamics not only reshape campaign logic but also threaten the accountability and integrity of democratic representation in the platform society.