Equalization of disputes or reproduction of inequalities? The use of Facebook by female candidates for federal deputy from Sao Paulo in 2018

Abstract This article examines whether the use of Facebook tools in election campaigns mitigates or reproduces structural socioeconomic inequalities that candidates experience in society. We monitor the use of Facebook during the 2018 election campaign to specifically understand whether and how this social media was used by candidates for the post of federal deputy for São Paulo. From a database with more than 55 thousand posts from 465 candidates, we incorporate an intersectional look at the multiple identities of these women and correlate their social markers (socio-occupational stratum, educational level, age and race/color) with the use of Facebook during the election campaign. The results of the quantitative analyzes show that, instead of equalizing pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities, this social media ended up reproducing them throughout the campaign.