The Brazilian Senate has approved a bill aimed at safeguarding children and adolescents in digital environments, including social media, messaging apps, online games, and streaming platforms.
Brazil’s National Congress has passed Bill 2628/22, establishing stricter obligations for technology product and service providers to prevent minors from being exposed to harmful content online. The measure, approved in a voice vote by the Senate, now awaits presidential sanction by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The legislation requires companies — particularly Big Tech — to implement policies that protect minors from accessing inappropriate content such as pornography, bullying, suicide incitement, and scams targeting individuals under 18.
Originally drafted in 2022, the bill has seen a turbulent legislative journey. Conservative lawmakers recently tried to block its passage, citing concerns over freedom of expression. However, momentum returned after a viral video reignited public debate.
Key Provisions of the Bill:
A central feature of the bill is the immediate removal of criminal content, including pornography and sexual exploitation, upon notification to a platform — with exceptions for journalistic and editorial content. Initially, any individual could request takedown, but after debate over potential censorship, the final version limits that right to potential victims, legal guardians, the Public Prosecution Office, and institutions dedicated to child protection.
“This bill is more protective and comprehensive because it treats the protection of children and adolescents as a shared responsibility, as outlined in the Constitution,” said Maria Mello, coordinator at the civil society organization Instituto Alana. “Companies must be understood as part of this broader societal group.”
The legislation also mandates:
- Implementation of effective age verification mechanisms by platforms.
- Semiannual transparency reports from companies with more than 1 million users, detailing user complaints, technical safeguards for minors, and detection of child accounts.
- Parental and legal guardian control tools to block accounts and restrict content.
- Measures to prevent commercial exploitation of minors.
Non-compliance may result in penalties ranging from warnings and fines of up to 50 million reais ($9 million) to temporary suspension or permanent ban from operating in Brazil.
A national public administration authority, still to be appointed, will oversee enforcement and regulation. The law will take effect one year after its official publication.
Source: MLex
