Brazil advances child online protection bill that imposes stricter measures on Big Tech

Brazil’s Senate Constitution and Justice Committee approved the PL 2628 bill requiring big tech companies to remove content that violates children’s rights.

Namely, the PL 2628 bill, introduced by Senator Alessandro Vieira, addresses various violations, including sexual abuse, exploitation, violence, religious intolerance, and racism. The bill also mandates big tech companies to offer parental control tools limiting communication between children/adolescents and others on apps or games. It also advocates default limitations on platform features that might contribute to screen addiction.

The bill will now move to the Commission of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Informatics (CCT) for review. At the same time, as reported in the Folha De S.Paulo, some companies argue it introduces new obligations conflicting with the Marco Civil da internet, Brazil’s primary tech sector regulation.

Why does it matter?

From the beginning of 2024, the liability of big tech companies has been one of the main issues governments aim to address. The approval of the PL 2628 bill could thus set a new precedent and responsibilities for big tech companies in Brazil, obligating them to take effective measures to ensure child safety online.