Inside the everyday Facebook networks where far-right ideas grow
The Guardian spent a year studying an online community trading in anti-immigration sentiment and misinformation. Experts say such spaces can play a role in radicalisation
Read moreJournalism
Reporting on the systems that shape what people know
More than a decade of reporting, at local, national, and global levels, in different countries. Before moving to the UK, at Folha de S.Paulo I was Editor-at-Large, leading data- and AI-driven projects. Later, at the Guardian, I worked on data-led investigations. The through-line is technology, power, and the systems that shape what people know.
Highlights
Highlighted work
Revealed: the tech bosses who poured $394.1m into US election - and how they compared to Elon Musk
Report on technology billionaires' donations to political campaigns in the US 2024 elections.
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Artificial Intelligence changes everyone's life, for better and for worse
Special report explores the ethical debate around AI in different parts of the world.
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Parrot that was shot, bitten by a snake and stolen returns to zoo on its own
Odd story which happened in the state of Paraná, Brazil, got worldwide attention.
Read moreMore selected work
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Money, muscles and anxiety: why the manosphere clicked with young men – a visual deep dive
The manosphere is known for misogyny, but that's not the only thing that influencers in this space offer. Young men explain the allure and the problems of the manosphere in their own words
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Far-right Facebook groups are engine of radicalisation in UK, data investigation suggests
Rioters were influenced by network that exposes hundreds of thousands of Britons to racist disinformation, Guardian research indicates
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Reading the post-riot posts: how we traced far-right radicalisation across 51,000 Facebook messages
Tracing profiles of those charged with online offences in summer 2024 helped us map a thriving social ecosystem trading far-right sentiment and political disillusionment
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'Poisoned' artificial intelligences are a problem with no solution
Part of a special on artificial intelligence published in 2023, it brings up a so far little discussed topic on AI systems cybersecurity.
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Digital clones with artificial intelligence scramble understanding of reality
Part of a special on artificial intelligence published in 2023, it features tests of voice and video digital cloning systems with AI. It unfolded into a podcast episode, a YouTube video and for social networks, all with my participation.
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The problem with ChatGPT is giving the idea of competence where there is none, says researcher
Interview with an expert discusses the impacts of LLMs.
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Discord turns into a lawless land with groups encouraging sexual crimes and violence
Investigation that monitored illegal activity practiced in online groups.
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Enem shows that ChatGPT dominates rote learning and text interpretation
Analysis of the performance of ChatGPT in Portuguese, when putting it to take the Enem (standardised Brazilian national exam, which evaluates high school students).
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ChatGPT performs better than 80% of students in Enem, but slips in mathematics
Analysis of the performance of ChatGPT in Portuguese, when putting it to take the Enem (standardised Brazilian national exam, which evaluates high school students).
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Metaverse is a trillion-dollar market, but its face is unknown
Report on the apparent decline of the Metaverse, which is not reflected in the expectations of financial return (which are still quite high).
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What you need to know about ChatGPT, OpenAI, and artificial intelligence in language
Report gathers information about ChatGPT, which became one of the main news topics at the beginning of 2023. Nominated for the Folha Award.
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Brazilian cybercriminals seek prominence in bank frauds
Overview of cybercriminal activity in Brazil, with hackers targeting the financial sector while large global threat groups have prioritised ransomware.
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Lula and Bolsonaro focus on economy and ignore corruption on YouTube
Data analysis on the manifestations of Brazil's main presidential candidates in 2022 on YouTube helps understand campaign strategies.
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Quota holder has a higher cut-off score than non-quota holder in 25% of Sisu's courses
Analysis of public data exposes inefficiencies to be corrected in the quota system for access to Universities in Brazil.
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Who the hacker group Lapsus$ is, how it operates, and its connection with Brazil
Presentation of a cybercrime group with ties to Brazil that became one of the main names in the sector in 2022.
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Cybercrime groups professionalise and profits soar
Overview of cybercriminal activity, shows the evolution of hacker groups worldwide.
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Facebook is part of the problem, but there's manipulation on other platforms, says expert
Interview with an expert about the role of Facebook in online disinformation campaigns.
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Cost of a vote for women can be nearly 70 times higher than for men
Report on the 2020 election in Brazil shows the difference in how much women and men paid for each vote they got. A follow-up story showed hints of fake candidacies.
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Hacker group that attacked the TSE is known for similar initiatives
Reaction to a hacker attack on the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) during the 2020 elections in Brazil. Illicit activity was being monitored even before the attacks were claimed.
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Tech can get humanities out of the Middle Ages, Pierre Lévy says
Interview with the philosopher discusses the relationship between people and tech.
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Voting machine gets to its 12th election in Brazil under attack
Story on the cybersecurity debate over the voting system in Brazil right before the 2018 elections. Won the Eset Information Security award for the Brazilian region.
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Fake news gains space on Facebook and professional journalism loses
Data analysis shows the proliferation of false content on Facebook.
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Reading 'terms and conditions' of services on the internet requires 4.5 hours
Compilation of what the "terms and conditions" of the main platforms used by Brazilians say. Nominated for the Folha Award.
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Tracks left on the internet include everything from mother's name to love preferences
Report tracks personal information that is left behind on the internet and points out ways to clean up these data. Winner of the Folha Award.
Enquiries
Speaking & advisory enquiries
For keynotes, panels, workshops, training, or advisory work — in English or Portuguese — email me with dates, audience, and format.
Email hello@raphaelhernandes.com
Or reach me on LinkedIn.