Brazil’s government has given Meta until Monday to clarify its recent decision to discontinue its U.S. fact-checking program and ease restrictions on discussions surrounding sensitive topics like immigration and gender identity, Solicitor General Jorge Messias announced on Friday.
The move follows widespread concern about the implications of Meta’s new policies, with Brazilian officials questioning the consistency and global impact of the company’s approach.
“I’d like to express the Brazilian government’s enormous concern about the policy adopted by the Meta company, which is like an airport windsock, changing its position all the time according to the winds,” Messias said in Brasilia. He emphasized that Brazilian society would not be subject to such unpredictable policies.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also weighed in, describing Meta’s changes as “extremely serious” and highlighting the need for further discussion.
While Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg cited “too many mistakes and too much censorship” as reasons for the policy shift, the company has stated that, for now, the changes are limited to the U.S. market.
Meta has not yet responded to Brazil’s concerns or provided further clarification. Reuters, a former partner in Meta’s fact-checking program, has also declined to comment.
The Brazilian government has not specified what actions it might take if Meta fails to provide a satisfactory explanation by the deadline.
