Bolsonaro's son banned from WhatsApp amid claims of fake news campaign
Source: Guardian
After Flávio Bolsonaro tweeted his banishment, WhatsApp said it had proactively banned accounts in the Brazil election period
Tom Phillips Latin America correspondent
Fri 19 Oct 2018 14.31 EDT
The politician son of the far-right favourite to become Brazils next president has been evicted from WhatsApp amid allegations that his fathers push for power has been turbocharged by an illegal fake news blitz on the Facebook-owned messaging app.
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Haddad called for Bolsonaro to be barred from the presidential race as a result of what he called a criminal defamation campaign of fake news and lies.
Polls suggest Bolsonaro a pro-torture former army captain who enjoys an 18-point lead over Haddad is on course for a landslide victory in the 28 October runoff vote.
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One of the most outlandish lies being peddled involves the bogus claim that, as São Paulos mayor, Haddad equipped schools with so-called mamadeiras eróticas (erotic baby bottles) with penis-shaped teats in an supposed bid to fight homophobia.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/19/flavio-bolsonaro-banned-whatsapp-fake-news-campaign