Fake News PL will be a security priority in 2024, says Capelli

The executive secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Cappelli, stated this Wednesday (27) that the approval of PL 2630 – which has been called the “Censorship PL” and “Fake News PL” – will be a priority for portfolio in 2024. The information was given in an interview with CNN Brazil.

The project that aims to control content published on social networks and requires Big Techs to punish crimes already covered by the Brazilian legal system has also been highlighted as a priority by the federal government and parliamentarians from the government base.

“We have been in dialogue with Congress, with the presidents of the Chamber and the Senate, because it is inevitable that we have regulation of networks in Brazil, and this is not to be confused with restricting freedom of expression, but with freedom to commit crimes”, Cappelli told CNN.

The subject of the project came to light, after Cappelli sent a request to the PF (Federal Police) to investigate threats against President Lula (PT) on social media. The request was in reference to a comment that was made on a post by federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), where an internet user wrote that it was necessary to “fundraise to pay a mercenary with a high-precision rifle”.

“Having regulations means following the best international practices. What PL 2630 brings, the whole world is adopting. Any activity in society has minimum rules that regulate it, control it and establish parameters for coexistence. In 2024 we will finally move forward with this legislation, which will make Brazil adapt to the best international practices”, he declared.

Reported by deputy Orlando Silva (PCdoB-SP), the project has the collaboration of Supreme Court ministers and collects criticism from politicians, journalists, jurists and Big Techs themselves. The proposal was scheduled to be voted on in May this year, but was removed from the agenda after strong pressure from the opposition and various sectors of society. Since then, it has remained at a standstill awaiting further deliberation.

Among the main negative points of the PL are the possibility of forcing platforms to be more proactive in taking down content; the handing over of the monopoly of truth to the State; the privilege granted to major press vehicles; the lack of openness of proposals to public debate; the lack of clarity of some ideas; and the hypothesis of scaring away some social networks in Brazil.

Cappelli criticized the campaign undertaken by big techs and sectors of society to overturn the project. “Foreign corporations cannot try to dodge Brazil’s internal affairs and place themselves above the economy and the people. Brazil has laws, and corporations cannot place themselves above the country’s laws,” he said.

According to the secretary, the project is important to curb crimes and avoid encouraging massacres in schools using social networks. “Social networks are a territory of free expression, everyone can express their opinions. But they cannot be a territory for people to encourage crimes. It is not reasonable for someone to crowdfund to buy a rifle to shoot the president of the republic, or to encourage committing a massacre at a children’s school,” he declared.