Video of minor exploitation spread online pushes calls for network regulation in Brazil
Brazil Advances New Legislation to Protect Minors from Online Exploitation
Brazil is taking significant steps to safeguard minors from exploitation and inappropriate content on digital platforms. The push for new legislation has been intensified following a viral video by Felipe Bressanim (Felca) that denounced dangers on social media, shocking the nation and mobilizing politicians.
In the coming days, the leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will send a proposal for a law to Congress on the regulation of digital platforms. The proposal is expected to include strict age and identity verification, content moderation, and explicit prohibitions against the sexualization and misuse of children’s images online.
One of the key legislative actions is PL 3910/2025, which mandates age verification mechanisms and prevents minors from accessing or creating accounts on platforms hosting pornographic content. Platforms accessible to minors will be required to conduct risk assessments and block harmful or inappropriate content, especially material promoting adultisation or sexualisation of youth. Noncompliance can lead to heavy fines.
Another bill, PL 4062/2025 (Statute for Protection of Children in the Digital Era), obliges platforms to implement content moderation policies specifically addressing harmful content for children. It prohibits using children’s images in sexual contexts for any commercial or media purpose, forbids portraying minors in sexually explicit adult-like situations, and bans exploiting children’s images for digital engagement or profit.
Brazilian authorities have also taken legal action against Meta (Facebook's parent company) for failing to remove AI chatbots that simulate childlike personas engaging in sexualized conversations. This signals strong governmental demands for immediate action against technologies threatening child safety online.
The issue of minors' exploitation on the internet is still described as an urgent matter that touches the heart of Brazilian society. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta, has committed to including the fight against the exploitation of minors on the internet in the legislative agenda "this week."
The regulation of social media is a contentious issue in Brazil, with some considering it a form of censorship. However, the urgency of protecting minors online is undeniable. As the debate continues, Brazil is moving forward with comprehensive protections for minors online, combining new legal obligations for age verification, content moderation, and removal of harmful digital content. Enforcement and effective implementation remain key challenges going forward.
References: 1. Brazil digital platforms law fines up to 10% of revenue for child pornography 2. Brazil's Senate approves bill to protect children online 3. Brazilian senators call for Facebook to remove 'pedophile chatbot' 4. Brazilian Senate demands Facebook remove pedophile chatbot 5. Brazil’s proposed children’s online protection law: A step forward but challenges remain
- The proposed legislation in Brazil, PL 3910/2025, aims to regulate digital platforms by mandating age verification mechanisms and preventing minors from accessing pornographic content.
- The Statute for Protection of Children in the Digital Era, PL 4062/2025, requires platforms to implement policies addressing harmful content for children, banning the use of minors' images in sexual contexts and exploitation of their images for digital engagement or profit.
- In response to concerns over minors' safety online, Brazilian authorities have taken legal action against Meta (Facebook's parent company) for failing to remove AI chatbots simulating childlike personas engaging in sexualized conversations.
