The 2026 presidential election promises to be different from any previous one, not only in terms of the political scenario, but also in terms of the level of surveillance over what circulates on the internet. On October 4th, more than 155 million Brazilians will choose their representatives under stricter rules from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), which decided to tighten the crackdown on fake news, digital manipulations and the uncontrolled use of artificial intelligence in campaigns.
The new guidelines emerged during the 2024 municipal elections and are now valid as a standard for the national election. In practice, they change the way of campaigning in a country where social networks, short videos and highly emotional content have become as or more relevant than traditional election hours on television.
What changes in campaigns
The point that draws the most attention is the explicit prohibition of so-called deepfakes — videos, audio or images created by artificial intelligence to simulate speech and situations that never existed. The Electoral Court considers this type of material a direct threat to the fairness of the dispute and the voter’s right to choose.
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Anyone who uses this type of tool may face severe punishments, ranging from revocation of registration or mandate to liability based on electoral legislation. Furthermore, any use of artificial intelligence in campaign pieces must be clearly communicated to the public.
The resolution also closes the gap against robots and automated systems used to simulate conversations with voters. This practice has become common in messaging apps and social networks to inflate engagement and create a feeling of artificial closeness. For the TSE, this type of strategy distorts the debate and unbalances the dispute.
Why did the TSE tighten the rules
The tightening of standards reflects the evolution of disinformation in Brazil. In 2018, rumors and fake news spread mainly in message groups. In 2022, the phenomenon gained new layers, with operations on several platforms and the increasing use of artificial intelligence tools, which made it difficult to separate true content from manipulated material.
International organizations, such as UNESCO, have been warning about the role of political influencers who mix entertainment, opinion and distorted information. These profiles reach large audiences and operate with a low degree of accountability, often occupying a space similar to that of the press, but without commitment to checking or investigation.
In recent weeks, the circulation of hyper-realistic videos produced with artificial intelligence has once again raised alarms in the Electoral Court. Court technicians assess that the combination of increasingly accessible tools and the platforms’ viralization logic could create an environment of strong informational instability during the 2026 campaign.
Pressure on platforms and big techs
Faced with this scenario, the president of the TSE, minister Cármen Lúcia, created a working group with experts to update rules and reinforce control instruments. One of the focuses is to strengthen the Electoral Disinformation Alert System, which seeks to speed up communication between the court and digital platforms to remove fraudulent content.
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Recent decisions significantly expand the responsibility of technology companies during the election period. The resolution provides for joint liability for platforms that do not quickly remove illegal content, such as disinformation, hate speech, support for Nazism or anti-democratic messages.
The text also prohibits the circulation of content manufactured or manipulated to seriously distort facts when there is a risk to the balance of the election. If there is no immediate action from the platforms, the Electoral Court may impose sanctions and even order the disclosure of corrective information to voters.
How voters consume politics
The new rules come amid a structural change in the consumption of political information. A 2024 DataSenado survey indicates that 72% of voters find out about politics through social media, while only 18% cite television or radio as their main source.
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This shift profoundly altered the logic of the campaigns. TV time lost its centrality and digital engagement became decisive. The voter is no longer just a receiver and starts to act as a multiplier and, in many cases, a creator of political messages.
In the 2024 municipal elections, this movement became evident. Around 81% of the more than 460 thousand candidates declared that they have profiles on social networks, according to data from the TSE. Instagram and Facebook concentrated the majority of these accounts, while platforms like TikTok expanded their presence.
Social impacts and the challenge of 2026
In addition to the integrity of the electoral process, the court has highlighted the social effects of disinformation. Cármen Lúcia showed special concern about the use of artificial intelligence in spreading attacks against women in politics.
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According to the minister, mayors with high approval ratings withdrew from re-election after digital demoralization campaigns amplified by algorithms.
At the same time, the TSE working group discusses positive uses of artificial intelligence, such as supporting the identification of false content, strengthening checking systems and expanding voters’ digital literacy.
The set of measures points to a new campaign pattern in 2026, marked by more surveillance, greater transparency and expanded accountability of candidates, parties and platforms.
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