Between Resentment and the Algorithm: The Hate Machine Against Women in Politics

Abstract

This article analyzes the effects of gender disinformation on the political participation of women in Brazil, with a focus on the 2022 elections. The research adopts a qualitative and theoretical-conceptual approach, based on an interdisciplinary literature review across the fields of Information Science, Communication, Political Philosophy, and Gender Studies. The study demonstrates that gender disinformation is a complex, intentional, and structurally articulated phenomenon, connected to discriminatory discourses such as sexism, racism, and LGBTQIA+phobia. Through the circulation of manipulated content and the mobilization of negative affects such as resentment, fear, and anger, disinformation campaigns target women in public and political roles, especially those who challenge traditional gender norms. It is evident that the algorithmic logic of digital platforms, combined with the attention economy, enhances the viralization of such content, thereby deepening informational inequalities. However, the study also identifies digital environments as potential spaces for resistance, particularly through the actions of feminist collectives that construct counter-narratives and preserve the memory of women affected by disinformation. The study concludes that gender disinformation poses a structural threat to democracy and citizenship, requiring public policies, educational actions, and theoretical approaches that integrate the gender perspective into the field of information.