Brazil SC Orders Probe of Google, Telegram Over “Abusive Campaign” on Disinformation Bill

A Supreme Court choose in Brazil ordered an investigation Friday of Google and Telegram over what he known as the tech firms’ “abusive marketing campaign” against a controversial bill seeking to stem disinformation online.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered federal police to open a probe of the two companies and their executives in Brazil, which has been embroiled in a divisive debate over what critics call the “censorship bill.”

The laws, launched in 2020 to take care of a flood of disinformation on-line, is presently awaiting a vote within the decrease home of Congress.

It shot to prominence earlier this yr, after supporters of far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro ran riot in Brasilia on January 8, allegedly incited by social media disinformation claiming their candidate’s 2022 election loss to leftist successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was fraudulent.

Supporters name the invoice a badly wanted protection in opposition to disinformation and on-line extremism.

But Bolsonaro supporters allege it could create an Orwellian “Truth Ministry” to censor residents’ views.

Tech companies also oppose the bill, which would regulate how they deal with certain kinds of content and make them hire external auditors.

This week, Google used its site to warn that the bill “seriously threatens free speech,” whereas Telegram despatched its greater than 40 million customers in Brazil a message calling it an “assault on democracy.”

Moraes had already lashed out at big tech’s use of its platforms to campaign against the bill.

On Wednesday he ordered Telegram to delete its anti-bill broadcast message or face a suspension.

Google also faced backlash.

Justice Minister Flavio Dino accused the US tech giant of “manipulating” search outcomes to show content material against the invoice extra prominently — a cost the corporate denied.

And shopper safety authorities ordered Google to steadiness its messages in opposition to the invoice with “counter-propaganda” or face a fine of one million reais ($200,000) an hour.

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated news company feed)