Brasília, January 11, 2025: The Brazilian government has issued a 72-hour deadline to Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, to provide an explanation for its recent changes to the fact-checking program. The changes follow Meta’s decision to discontinue its U.S. fact-checking initiatives and ease restrictions on discussions surrounding sensitive topics like immigration and gender identity. Solicitor General Jorge Messias expressed concerns about Meta’s inconsistent policies and stressed that Brazilian society should not be exposed to such erratic practices.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has also criticized these changes, stating that the issue requires further discussion. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg attributed the changes to errors and issues with censorship, but the company has yet to respond to the Brazilian government’s request for clarification.
