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24/12/2023, 13:38 consultaunificadapje.tse.jus.br/consulta-publica-unificada/documento?extensaoArquivo=text/html&path=tse/2023/3/2/15/42/… TRIBUNAL SUPERIOR ELEITORAL Corregedoria-Geral da Justiça Eleitoral INQUÉRITO ADMINISTRATIVO BRASÍLIA - DISTRITO FEDERAL (12466) Nº 0600371-71.2021.6.00.0000 (PJe) - RELATOR: MINISTRO BENEDITO GONÇALVES AUTORIDADE: TRIBUNAL SUPERIOR ELEITORAL DECISÃO INTERLOCUTÓRIA Trata-se de Inquérito Administrativo instaurado por meio da Portaria CGE 02/2021 com o objetivo de apurar fatos que pudessem configurar abuso de poder econômico, uso indevido dos meios de comunicação social, corrupção, fraude, condutas vedadas aos agentes públicos e propaganda extemporânea, relativamente a ataques já então sistematicamente dirigidos contra o sistema eletrônico de votação e a legitimidade das Eleições 2022 (ID 146077038). Durante a tramitação do inquérito, diversos indícios de práticas ilícitas foram trazidas à lume, subdividindo-se as diligências em quatro linhas investigativas: a) disseminação de desinformação sobre a segurança do sistema eletrônico de votação; b) ingerência indevida na Empresa Brasileira de Comunicação – EBC e desvio de finalidade das atividades da estatal, com o objetivo de promoção pessoal do então Presidente Jair Bolsonaro; c) utilização indevida de recursos públicos para a realização de “motociatas” cujo objetivo seria a promoção indevida e antecipada da campanha de Jair Bolsonaro à reeleição; e d) financiamento privado de grupos organizados com a finalidade de, durante eventos comemorativos à Independência do Brasil, em 7 de setembro realizados no ano de 2021, reivindicarem a implementação do voto impresso como forma de combater fraudes inexistentes. A fim de melhor sistematizar a análise, passo a relatar as diligências realizadas no feito considerando cada uma dessas linhas investigativas: 1. Disseminação de desinformação sobre a segurança do sistema eletrônico de votação https://consultaunificadapje.tse.jus.br/consulta-publica-unificada/documento?extensaoArquivo=text/html&path=tse/2023/3/2/15/42/2/139611829f… 1/15

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The Case of Disinformation Demonetization on Brazilian Social Media

Case Law

Country

Brazil

Country Location

Latitude: -9.531069703582213

Longitude: -52.923056365109474

Country Location (linked Case Law): Brazil

Decision Date: Aug 16, 2021

Case Status: Closed

Case Outcome (Disposition)

Provisional Measures / Precautionary Measures for those who exercise FoE

Keywords

Content Moderation
Digital Rights
Disinformation
Elections
Social Media

Judicial Body: Specialized Court / Tribunal

Court Name: Superior Electoral Court of Brazil

Case Number: Inq. 0600371-71.2021.6.00.0000, class 12466

Case Summary: The Superior Electoral Court of Brazil, in an administrative inquiry, ordered the suspension of payments from social media platforms to specific individuals and pages disseminating disinformation during the Brazilian elections of 2022. The Court found that this measure does not violate the freedom of expression and the press as it addresses profit incentives rather than content. It also prohibited platforms from suggesting political content through algorithms and compelled platforms to promote reverse tracking of posts to identify the origin of publications. This ruling remained effective throughout the elections and was revoked in March 2023, with no impact on criminal investigations in progress at the Supreme Federal Court and potential new orders to suspend monetization in response to new unlawful events.

Case Significance: Mixed Outcome

While technically constraining freedom of expression and the press, the decision doesn’t limit the sharing of content but only the potential monetization by individuals disseminating disinformation. The decision relied on investigations conducted by the Federal Police, which concluded that there was an organized and complex network formed to negatively impact political discourse, foster polarization, and attempt to discredit elections, electronic voting machines, and institutions such as the Electoral Justice and the Supreme Federal Court. Accordingly, the decision aligns with the Brazilian Constitution and international human rights standards on freedom of expression and the press, with the imposition of measures deemed necessary to safeguard the legitimacy of the 2022 Brazilian elections. This ruling remained effective throughout the elections and was revoked in March 2023, with no impact on criminal investigations in progress at the Supreme Federal Court and potential new orders to suspend monetization in response to new unlawful events.

The decision establishes a binding or persuasive precedent within its jurisdiction.

The decision is significant as it inaugurates a new attempt to combat disinformation in Brazil, focusing not only on clarifying facts and regulating content but on the profit received by disseminators of disinformation.

Related Caselaw (self)

Pereira v. Amorim

Related Law

Constitution of Brazil

Source URL: Global Freedom of Expression

Collection

Columbia

Date Updated: Oct 18, 2024

Primary Documents

Judgement - Superior Electoral Court 2023 (in portuguese).pdf
Portuguese
Download View

Supporting files

pdf

Judgement - Superior Electoral Court 2021 (in portuguese).pdf197.58 kB

CYRILLA: Global Digital Rights Law

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The Case of Disinformation Demonetization on Brazilian Social Media

Primary Documents

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