Brazil seems to adjust monetized content material on Web

SAO PAULO, March 17 (Reuters) – The Brazilian govt is finding out whether or not to adjust Web platforms with content material that earns income similar to promoting, its secretary for virtual insurance policies, Joao Brant, mentioned on Friday.

The speculation can be for a regulator to carry such platforms, no longer customers, in control of monetized content material, Brant instructed Reuters.

Some other objective is “to stop the networks from getting used for the dissemination and promotion of crimes and unlawful content material” particularly after the riots by way of supporters of former far-right President JairBolsonaro in Brasilia in January, fueled by way of incorrect information concerning the election he misplaced in October.

Brant mentioned President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s govt additionally intends to make corporations liable for preventing incorrect information, hate speech and different crimes on their social media platforms. Platforms would no longer be held liable for content material in my view, however for a way diligent they’re in protective the “virtual surroundings,” he mentioned in an interview.

Brant didn’t element what the regulatory frame would seem like, however mentioned the federal government needs to adjust monetized content material and save you the platforms from spreading incorrect information.

“What the frame would do is track whether or not the platforms are pleasurable their duties neatly, and no longer handle person content material printed by way of customers. That should be as much as the courts,” he mentioned.

Brant didn’t specify the position the judiciary would play in combating incorrect information.

Any proposal will require adjustments to the regulatory framework within the 2014 legislation referred to as the “Marco Civil” that governs the Web in Brazil and protects the rights of customers.

The legislation’s Article 19 exempts platforms from prison accountability “for damages due to content material generated by way of 3rd events”, except there’s a particular courtroom order for the removing of the content material.

For Brant, the present framework “generates an incentive for platforms to not maintain the general public house of dialogue.”

The absence of duty for content material this is promoted, monetized or offered as promoting should be reconsidered, he mentioned, including: “For them to have 0 accountability for that content material may be very dangerous.”

Brazil’s Splendid Court docket has been discussing the constitutionality of Article 19 since 2017, according to a lawsuit filed by way of Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) Meta, proprietor of Fb and WhatsApp.

Meta wondered its accountability for casting off content material and not using a courtroom resolution in a case involving a pretend Fb profile. The courtroom scheduled a public listening to at the factor for March 28.

(This tale has been refiled to proper byline)

Reporting by way of Victor Pinheiro, Debora Ely and Bernardo Barbosa; Enhancing by way of David Gregorio

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