After attacks, government studies plan to regulate networks – 01/18/2023 – Power

The Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government is working on proposals to expand the regulation of social networks, on the grounds that it is necessary to prevent the internet from being used to disseminate anti-democratic content.

The objective is to try to prevent the organization of events such as those of January 8, in which the headquarters of the three Powers were vandalized by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

The measure is part of a package that President Lula must present to Congress in response to the attacks.

The changes that the Ministry of Justice plans to propose in the internet environment are focused on messages that attack the democratic rule of law. The idea is to prevent coup acts from gaining a wide dimension due to the capillarity of these digital platforms.

The topic, however, has the potential to generate controversy and resistance in Congress. Network regulation projects spark a debate about the limits of freedom of expression and censorship.

Furthermore, the Lula government’s intention to create a Prosecutor’s Office for the Defense of Democracy within the scope of the AGU (Advocacia-Geral da União), for example, triggered criticism —mainly from oppositionists— about how this new division could deal with the issue of misinformation.

Allies of Minister Flávio Dino (PSB), who heads the legislative package that must be presented, refute these criticisms and say that the proposal does not seek any type of censorship in the use of social networks.

Members of the Ministry of Justice are expected to present this Thursday (19th) to Dino a series of drafts of legislative projects to later be taken to Lula’s scrutiny.

“We understand that, in this process, we had the instrumentalization of social networks as a tool used to build these actions that took place on the 8th. It is undeniable that these tools were used. We are thinking of presenting a draft of the internet update”, said the deputy Elias Vaz (PSB-GO), who will be appointed secretary of Legislative Affairs of the ministry.

When he was still a pre-candidate, Lula defended the regulation of social media to prevent the spread of false news. The president went so far as to say that social networks were “lawless land”.

The government is now considering presenting the proposal as a way to preserve institutions and avoid coup attacks.

“It’s one thing to fight crimes, information that has an interest in attacking democracy, distinguishing this well. But that doesn’t mean restricting people’s freedom of opinion,” said Vaz.

He claims that it is necessary to “harshly attack those who use social networks for a negative purpose”.

With an eye on the election, the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) began to punish the dissemination of false news. The court, for example, ordered the immediate removal of posts that disseminated fake news about the polls and the voting process, on various digital platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Kwai, Telegram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube).

The discussion is that there are three bills, one to regulate social networks, another to make changes in the penal area, one to regulate public security in the Federal District and a PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) to create a national guard. .

In addition to the material focused on the networks, the government is considering proposing a series of changes in the criminal area to increase punishment for those who finance and lead anti-democratic attacks.

A proposal is also being prepared to speed up the punishment for this type of attack.

Among the measures, there is a forecast to remove civil servants who have sponsored acts against democracy and the loss of rank of military personnel who are involved in this type of demonstration.

There is also the intention of creating new criminal offenses, such as financing or funding the commission of a coup d’état crime, for example. There is a suggestion that the penalty could vary from 8 to 20 years plus a fine.

On another front, the idea of ​​removing the exclusive responsibility for the security of the area that gathers the buildings of the three Powers in Brasília from the Government of the Federal District advanced among members of Lula’s administration.

The Ministry of Justice group that works on the package prepares a draft PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) and a bill to create and regulate a national guard that would be responsible for the security of what ministers call civic spaces of national interest.

This comprises the central area of ​​Brasília, which includes the Esplanada dos Ministérios and the Praça dos Três Poderes — in addition to embassies and other buildings linked to the federal government.

This guard would be coordinated by the Ministry of Justice. Initially, it could request military police from the DF, but in the future, tenders could be called specifically for this purpose. The draft in preparation also foresees that the federal government may request assistance from the capital’s forces for some specific missions.

“This is all being thought about, analyzed and we will announce it when we have a definitive position. One thing is certain: it cannot stay the way it is”, he told the Sheet the Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa.

Flávio Dino has said that he will submit to President Lula the ideas for reviewing the security of the Federal District. The intention is to close the design by January 31, when federal intervention in the security of the capital ends.

The justification is that the three Powers are feeling hostages of the local security team.

For now, a more in-depth discussion on the autonomy of the DF is not on the table.

Government members believe that the invasions had the participation or at least the connivance of members of the DF security forces and military personnel in the Planalto.

The new national guard, therefore, would have the objective of avoiding interference and omissions in the protection of the headquarters of the Three Powers.

For members of the STF, security in the DF differs from other states precisely because it is responsible for protecting the headquarters of the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative branches.