O uso de hashtags como objetos digitais desinformativos: uma análise crítica em torno da Pandemia de Covid-19 na Plataforma Instagram

Abstract

This thesis aims to analyze how hashtags can be used as disinformational digital objects surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic on Instagram. To do so, this research proposes three specific objectives: (1) To analyze the (re)configuration of the functional purpose of hashtags based on its (anti)program character; (2) To describe the role of interdiscursive processes through allusions to symbolic identity keywords; (3) To analyze how sociodigital ignorance influences users' positioning through science denial. This thesis provides a theoretical interface between the field of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), through the dialectical-relational by Fairclough (2001, 2003), and the studies in Agnotology by Proctor (2008). Similarly, the methodological framework was formed through the Textually Oriented Discourse Analysis (TODA) by Fairclough (2001, 2003) and the Digital Methods, as proposed by Omena (2019) and Rogers (2024). The corpus of this qualitative research consisted of four hashtags: #comunavirus, #fraudemia2020, #vachina, and #FiqueEmCasa, which were collected through the Zeeschuimer extension on the social media platform Instagram. The analysis revealed that these disinformational digital objects articulate (anti)program ideological meanings and promote disinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, mobilizing political identities, anti-scientific beliefs, and sociodigital ignorance. Thus, the hashtags enabled access to relevant linguistic-discursive aspects to their characterization as discursive digital objects.