Brazil’s electoral court gives Meta 24 hours to show compliance
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court gave Meta 24 hours to demonstrate compliance with orders on equal treatment of presidential campaigns. Judge Marco Aurélio Bellizze rejected the company’s attempt to extend an earlier deadline and demanded individual advertising reports in Portuguese. Both runoff campaigns allege disadvantages on Meta’s platforms. The new order addresses implementation of the court’s requirements ahead of the vote.
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court gave Meta 24 hours on 19 October to demonstrate compliance with an earlier equal-treatment order. The requirements concern distribution of political content and electoral advertising during the presidential runoff. Meta owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Judge Marco Aurélio Bellizze said the company had to show that it had implemented the measures already required by the court.[1], [2]
Earlier deadlines had expired, according to Bellizze. He rejected Meta’s attempt to replace a court-set 72-hour period with five days. The judge said the company could not change judicial deadlines on its own, particularly in proceedings whose usefulness depended on time. He also stated that Meta’s appeal did not suspend the previous decision, whose orders remained in force.[2]
Portuguese reports must identify advertising measures
The court demanded individualized reports in Portuguese about political advertisements. Meta must also demonstrate what it did about restrictions on paid promotion of posts. According to the decision, one report contained foreign-language terms and did not clearly distinguish action taken under judicial orders from measures introduced by the company on its own initiative.[2]
Earlier requirements included explanations of recommendation systems and examination of advertisements from both runoff campaigns. The company was also asked to investigate possible networks of inauthentic profiles and provide information about labels for synthetically generated or altered content. These demands address how content is recommended, promoted and identified across the platforms during the election.[2]
Both runoff campaigns bring complaints
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s campaign alleged selective limits on posts associated with his political camp and questioned restrictions on paid promotion. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign likewise alleged that Meta disadvantaged its content. Bellizze allowed Bolsonaro to join the case as an interested party and present arguments on equal treatment. The court had granted Lula’s campaign a request the previous week.[2]
Lula and Bolsonaro face each other on 25 October. In the first round on 4 October, Bolsonaro received 47 per cent and Lula 45 per cent, both below the 50 per cent threshold. Meta has denied favouring either candidate and acknowledged technical errors that temporarily removed some campaign advertisements. The campaigns’ accusations remain allegations as the court seeks proof of compliance.[1]
