Brazil on Tuesday began implementing new measures to restrict minors’ access to social media and shield them from violent, illegal, and inappropriate content.
The regulation, approved last year following a scandal involving the alleged sexual exploitation of minors on Instagram, comes into force this week.
With a population of over 212 million, Brazil joins a growing number of countries moving to protect children from the harmful effects of social media, including addictive algorithms and exposure to unsafe content.
While some countries, such as Australia, have imposed outright bans, others have introduced stricter age verification or parental consent requirements.
Under Brazil’s new rules, adolescents under the age of 16 must link their social media accounts to those of a legal guardian. Platforms are also required to implement “reliable” age verification systems to prevent users under 18 from accessing prohibited material, including pornography and violent content.
“What our legislation did was ban self-declaration as a form of age verification because it is ineffective,” said Iage Miola, Director of the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), the agency responsible for enforcing the law.
Details of the verification system are still being finalised. A transition period begins this week, during which the ANPD will outline the technical framework for implementation.
Miola said discussions have already been held with technology companies, with current proposals favouring identity document uploads combined with biometric photo verification.
The law also mandates that digital platforms promptly remove content depicting sexual exploitation or abuse and report such cases to authorities.
Companies that fail to comply face penalties ranging from fines of up to 50 million reais (about $9 million) and account suspensions to outright bans for repeated violations.
In addition, the legislation prohibits advertising targeted at children and adolescents and bans “loot boxes”, paid in-game features that offer random rewards.
“Unlike other countries, Brazil opted for a law that goes beyond social media to regulate the broader internet environment for children,” said Renata Tomaz, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.
AFP
