Brazil issues 72-hr deadline to Meta over content fact-checking practices

Brazil's federal government issued an extrajudicial notice to Meta on Thursday (local time), demanding clarification on its practices for fact-checking to address hate speech and disinformation on its platforms, as reported by Anadolu News Agency.

According to Anadolu News Agency, the Attorney General's Office in Brazil gave Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, 72 hours to explain its decision to discontinue its data verification program earlier this week.

"Brazil has strict legislation to protect children and adolescents, vulnerable populations, and the business environment, and we will not allow these networks to turn the environment into digital carnage or barbarism," the government stated as quoted by Anadolu News Agency, citing a release.

The notice also called for the removal of a manipulated video posted on Thursday that falsely attributed remarks to Brazil's Finance Minister, Fernando Haddad, regarding a proposed tax on pets and prenatal animals. The video, generated through Artificial Intelligence (AI), was flagged for spreading misleading information.

"The post, manipulated through artificial intelligence, contains fraudulent information and attributes to the minister statements that never existed," the notice added as quoted by Anadolu News Agency.

This week, Meta announced it would replace its traditional fact-checking method with a "community notes" feature, similar to that used by X (formerly Twitter).

"In light of the changes announced in Meta's policy, it is essential to emphasise the company's need to promote and protect fundamental rights in accordance with infra-constitutional legislation and the 1988 Constitution," the Attorney General's Office stated as quoted by Anadolu News Agency.

This action is part of broader efforts by the Brazilian government to hold social media platforms accountable for spreading disinformation and harmful content. Brazilian authorities have previously pursued legal action against platforms like TikTok and X, leading to temporary service suspensions in the country.