Internet, eleições e democracia: o uso das redes sociais digitais por Marcelo Freixo na campanha de 2012 para a Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro

This is a research in the field of Internet and Democracy which debates the use of online social networks by candidate Marcelo Freixo in his campaign for mayor of Rio de Janeiro in the 2012 elections. The intention was to analyze, through the chosen case, possible effects of the use of the Web to democracy, through their impact on the political information fields and transparency of the campaign itself; on citizen participation and citizen empowerment in the campaign; and on promoting the public debate on issues related to the geographical political space in which the campaign is part. Based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the object, we measured that the priority use of the candidate ́s social networks was more focused on engaging and mobilizing citizens around the campaign and less for the purpose of informing, making a more transparent campaign or debating proposals and problems of the city. In this context, we understand that while election campaigns do not have the objective of contributing to democracy, but to win elections, this does not diminish the importance of analyzing them in the field of the effects of digital communication policy for the democratic environment