Meta, the US-based internet company, has been asked by the Brazilian government to provide more information on the changes to its fact-checking policy. The government has given the company 72 hours to respond.
Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, explained the request on the platform X, stating that the new guidelines on fake news on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp could affect children, youth, and women. He also announced the creation of a working group to monitor the development and strengthen freedom of speech, without compromising fundamental rights.
In a concluding statement, Lula da Silva emphasized, “All companies operating in the country must respect Brazil’s law and judiciary.”
On Thursday, the President had described the changes as “extremely serious.” Lula da Silva expressed concern over impunity in social media.
Brazil’s Attorney General, Jorge Messias, cited a recent survey by the Institute for Social, Political, and Economic Studies (IPESPE) in the name of the Observatory of Democracy, which found that 70 percent of Brazilian citizens support regulating social networks and messaging services. He also stated, “I want to express the great concern of the Brazilian government over Meta’s policy, which is like a sack on an airport runway, constantly changing its position.”
Prior to this, the IT company had stopped its fact-checking program in the US and relaxed restrictions on discussions on topics like immigration and gender identity. When announcing the move on Tuesday, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, mentioned “too many errors and too much censorship.” The fact-checkers are soon to be abolished and replaced with user comments, as seen on the platform X, according to the announcement.