Brazil Policies Affecting Disinformation

From ADTAC Disinformation Inventory

Legislation and initiatives

As of 2018, Brazilian police have set up a task force to combat disinformation. There have been 20 bills drafted to criminalise fake stories surrounding the elections.[1]

In 2014, Brazil passed, the “Marco Civil da Internet”, Brazilian Civil Rights Framework for the Internet, which guaranteed “network neutrality, privacy, freedom of expression, security and universality” essentially freedom of expression.[2][3]

However the "Lei Brasileira de Liberdade, Responsabilidade e Transparência na Internet", the Brazilian Internet Freedom, Responsibility and Transparency Act, or Law PLS2630/2020 was passed in 2020. The law was approved by the Senate but has yet to be signed into law. This bill has generated controversy as many believe that it's definition of "fake news" is too vague to be useful and may lead to the law being applied to inappropriate cases,[4][5] circumventing the previous Marco Civil da Internet. The new law would also require tech companies to make messaging apps traceable and store three months of logs of messages which were sent by over 5 users and which reach a least a 1,000 users.[6] This allows for the tracking of any widely circulated messages by any user.

In March 2020 the Government of the State of Parimbo created fines of 10,000 Reals for spreading "fake news" about the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

Government and platforms

The government has entered agreements with Facebook and Google to where the platforms pledged to "combat disinformation generated from third parties". [8]

Government spread disinformation

President Jair Bolsonaro spread a disinformation regarding the effectiveness of malaria treatments for COVID-19 as well as the severity of COVID-19. The Brazilian Congress is pushing for legislation to combat this disinformation, however there are concerns about further impacts on freedom of speech.[9]

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National Policies Affecting Disinformation