AI-generated disinformation targets Brazil's misogyny criminalization bill
A coordinated disinformation campaign using AI-generated videos and false narratives targeted Brazil's proposed bill to criminalize misogyny between March and April 2026, according to research by the Observatório Lupa. Right-wing politicians including Deputy Nikolas Ferreira spread false claims that the legislation would restrict free speech, enable political persecution, or criminalize everyday interactions with women.
What happened
Between 24 March and 30 April 2026, the Observatório Lupa identified a disinformation campaign against Brazil's Misogyny Criminalization Bill (PL 896/2023) on social media, coordinated by right-wing politicians. The research analysed 289,000 posts on X, 6,300 on Facebook, 2,900 on Instagram, and 1,000 on Threads.
The campaign included false narratives, conspiracy theories, and AI-generated content. Deputy Nikolas Ferreira published a video on 25 March—the day after Senate approval—incorrectly associating the bill with an unrelated proposal by Senator Ana Paula Lobato. The video reached 751,000 views in 24 hours before being deleted and reposted without the false association.
The Observatório Lupa identified AI-generated videos depicting false consequences of the proposal. Key influencers spreading disinformation included Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, councillor Lucas Pavanato, commentator Caio Coppola, and influencer Babi Mendes.
Reported impact
The campaign exploited fear as its primary engagement mechanism, according to the research. False narratives claimed the bill would restrict freedom of expression, enable persecution of the right, lead to mass dismissals of women, criminalize biblical passages, or result in imprisonment for asking a woman about menstruation.
Index analysis
The largest engagement spike occurred on 25 March following Nikolas Ferreira's misleading video. The research identified patterns of AI-generated content and a rise in terminology associated with misogynistic 'redpill' culture and ironic references to transportation apps suggesting fear of false accusations.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.