Brazil’s top electoral court has ordered social media giant Meta to prove within 24 hours that its platforms are giving equal treatment to campaign content from incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, according to reporting by France 24 — English.
The court issued the ruling alongside a threat of daily fines if the parent company of Facebook and Instagram fails to comply with the directive. The judicial action comes as political tensions heighten in the final stretch leading up to Sunday's closely contested presidential runoff election.
Allegations of Digital Suppression
The legal mandate follows direct complaints submitted by Lula’s campaign team. Representatives for the incumbent president alleged that Meta has been actively suppressing Lula’s campaign content on its networks during the critical run-up to the nationwide vote.
The allegations prompted the electoral tribunal to intervene swiftly to assess whether algorithmic distribution or content moderation practices have placed the campaign at an unfair disadvantage in the digital sphere.
Strict Compliance Deadline
Under the court's order, Meta must demonstrate that its platform mechanisms ensure balanced visibility and distribution for both political camps. The court established a strict 24-hour window for the company to produce the required evidence and verify that neither side is receiving preferential or disadvantageous platform treatment.
With the presidential runoff just days away, Brazilian authorities have maintained tight oversight of online campaign operations. Electoral officials warned that ongoing noncompliance by the company will trigger immediate daily financial penalties until adequate proof of equitable treatment is submitted to the court.
