Political Performance and Digital Platforms: Discursive Strategies in the Spread of Misinformation in the Case of Nikolas Ferreira

Abstract

This article analyzes a video published by Brazilian federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira, a far-right political figure in Brazil, addressing the alleged taxation of Pix, a widely used instant payment system in the country. The aim is to examine how disinformation operates within his political communication strategy. The analysis combines empirical data collected through the Fanpage Karma tool with a theoretical approach grounded in French discourse analysis, focusing on the constitution of discursive subjects, the discursive scene and interdiscourse, and modes of mobilizing audiences toward the consumption of disinformation. Published on Instagram, the video reached 325 million views and recorded the deputy’s highest interaction rate between October 2024 and January 2025. The findings indicate that the video’s virality results from the combination of polarizing discursive strategies and the platform’s algorithmic logic, which amplifies the circulation of disinformative political narratives.