Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) are the only politicians to appear among the 85 most spontaneously cited influencer profiles. Among the most followed politicians, Lula (PT) stands out.
From a survey entitled “Influencers, young people and politics in Latin America”, carried out by InternetLab, it emerges that a significant part of young Brazilians see politicians as digital influencers, with particular attention to figures such as Jair Bolsonaro (PL) e Nicola Ferreira (PL-MG). The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stands out among the politicians most followed by this part of the population.
According to the survey data, 27% of young people interviewed consider some politicians to be influencers, especially those who are present and communicate directly on social networks, such as Instagram and TikTok, as is the case with Bolsonaro and Nikolas Ferreira. For this generation, politics extends to the digital universe, where leaders have the opportunity to build a more personal and direct relationship with the public.
Bolsonaro and Nikolas Ferreira are the only politicians who appear among the 85 profiles most spontaneously cited by young people regarding the “influencers” they follow and identify with. But when interviewees are asked which politicians they follow most, President Lula appears at 42%, ahead of Bolsonaro, with 30%, and Nikolas Ferreira, with 23%.
The research was conducted in 2023, before the influencer’s political rise Pablo Marcalwho placed third in the race for São Paulo municipality in October 2024.
The study also highlights that, despite this closer relationship with politicians, young Brazilians demonstrate a certain “political fatigue”. Around 40% of young people say they avoid political discussions on social media, although, paradoxically, 29% recognize that these discussions influence their opinions.
Another relevant fact is the growing difficulty in discerning information on social networks. A survey conducted by the Internet Steering Committee in Brazil in collaboration with UNESCO, published in 2023, shows that 43% of children and young people aged 9 to 17 in Brazil do not know how to check whether the information is correct .
The research concludes that the relationship between influencers and their followers is based on closeness and authenticity, where the creators’ personal lives are a central part of their content. “This perception of authenticity is critical to maintaining engagement, and any sign of artificiality or political manipulation can lead young people to turn away. This bond of trust, combined with the frequent humor in the content produced, creates a platform where influencers become powerful opinion shapers,” the text highlights.
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Source: Terra
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