Unesco invites Lula, Felipe Neto and Barroso to discuss media regulation

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Luís Roberto Barroso and digital influencer Felipe Neto were invited to participate in a world forum of Unesco, an agency linked to the United Nations (UN) , to discuss proposals to regulate social media. The event will take place between the 21st and 23rd of February in Paris.

Unesco informed that the president will not be present at the forum due to scheduling issues, but will send a video message. Minister Barroso confirmed that he will attend the event and address “how social networks are used to disseminate speeches that defend coups d’état”. The digital influencer already informed that he will be present at the event.

Lula, even before the election campaign, has already signaled several times his intention to regulate the media and the internet. After being elected, right at the beginning of his mandate, he created the ‘Ministry of Truth’ – as the new Union bodies created under the allegation of defending democracy have been called. However, depending on how any eventual media regulation will be carried out and how these bodies will act, there is a risk that the measures could serve as censorship instituted by the State.

In parallel, ministers of the Electoral Court of Justice (TSE) and the Federal Supreme Court (STF) have positively signaled to increase the moderation mechanisms on the platforms. Between 2019 and 2022, social media profiles of dozens of Jair Bolsonaro supporters were censored by the Judiciary, with content removed and accounts blocked. This trend intensified during the electoral race. Censorships of newspapers and other content producers also marked the election period.

In 2021, Minister Barroso defended the regulation of social networks as a way to combat “disinformation that compromises democracy”. For him, it is necessary to face disinformation, especially when it poses a serious risk to democracy or health.

Felipe Neto, who supports leftist agendas, was a strong supporter of Lula in the electoral campaign for the presidency, last year, and even published videos citing reasons that would lead him to vote for the PT. Federal deputy Deltan Dallagnol (Podemos) made a video contesting and denying some arguments used by the influencer.