Brazil: Attorney General's Office published interim assessment of Meta's content moderation policy updates

On 14 January 2025, the Attorney General of the Union (AGU) published a preliminary assessment of Meta's response to a notification from the Brazil National Prosecutor's Office for the Defense of Democracy (PNDD) regarding changes to its content governance and policy application. Meta announced that it will close its independent Fact Verification Program in the United States, replacing it with Community Notes, while keeping the fact-checking program active in Brazil for now. The company also confirmed that changes to its hate conduct policy, aimed at promoting greater freedom of expression, have already been implemented in Brazil. The AGU and federal government agencies have expressed concern about the adoption of these policies, believing it could violate legislation and constitutional principles protecting fundamental rights. In response to Meta's answer, the AGU and involved ministries will hold a public hearing in the week of 20 January to discuss the effects of Meta's new policy. Among others, the hearing will address the duty of care of digital platforms, the risks of replacing the fact verification program abroad, and measures to ensure compliance with national legislation.