Narrativas Sobre Mudanças Climáticas no TikTok Brasil: Entre o Diagnóstico e a Desesperança

Simone Evangelista; Marcelo Garcia

doi:10.21814/rlec.5448

Authors

Simone Evangelista Programa de Pós-Graduação em Comunicação, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5457-5737
Marcelo Garcia Instituto de Comunicação e Informação Científica e Tecnológica em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6183-2343

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21814/rlec.5448

Keywords:

climate change, TikTok, digital platforms, science communication, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this exploratory study is to chart the discourses circulating on the TikTok social network concerning climate change in Brazil. It investigates the predominant narratives on Brazilian TikTok regarding climate change and the implications of these narratives. Using a methodology based on Basch et al. (2022) tailored for the Brazilian context, this study analyses 50 videos indicated as the most relevant by the platform using the hashtag #mudancaclimatica (#climatechange). Key aspects investigated include language patterns, the use of sources and strategies for addressing climate change. The videos were categorised based on various criteria, including their stance on the truth of climate change, the environmental issues highlighted, the social and ecological impacts mentioned, and the extreme weather events described. Given TikTok’s immense popularity in Brazil, the prevalence of disinformation on digital platforms in the country, and the lack of awareness among Brazilians about climate change, this study aims to assess the potentially harmful effects of narrative circulation on the platform on understanding the issue. The findings indicate a relative consensus on the reality and severity of climate change. However, aspects pertaining to the complexity of the problem often receive less attention. Prominent in the analysed narratives are those with an alarmist tone, amplified by the platform’s features. Moreover, the sources and channels behind these productions often lack clear identification, even when they are directly linked to scientific dissemination. This ambiguity could pose challenges in using these materials to counter climate denialism.

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