A new Brazilian law designed to protect minors from harmful online content such as addictive features, violence, and pornography came into effect this week. Experts describe the legislation as a milestone in safeguarding children and adolescents in the digital environment.
The Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, approved by Congress and signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in September, took effect on Tuesday. Under the law, minors under 16 must link their social media accounts to a legal guardian, and platforms are prohibited from using addictive design like infinite scroll and auto-play. Companies must also implement robust age verification systems beyond self-declaration.
President Lula emphasised the need to balance freedom with protection, stating, 'Enough of tolerating exploitation, sexual abuse, child pornography, bullying, incitement to violence and self-harm just because it happens in the digital environment.' Maria Mello of the Alana Institute noted that manipulative design increases anxiety, disrupts education, and causes vision problems among children.
Brazil joins Australia, which banned social media for under-16s in December, and Indonesia, which announced similar measures. Unlike an outright ban, Brazil's law focuses on parental supervision and places responsibility on digital service providers, according to law professor Guilherme Klafke.
Tech companies have responded: WhatsApp introduced parent-managed accounts, and Google uses AI in Brazil to estimate user age and block inappropriate content. YouTube now requires parental supervision for under-16s to create channels. Violations can result in fines of up to 50 million reais (approximately $9.5 million).
Communications professor Renata Tomaz stressed the importance of dialogue with children to ensure they understand the law's purpose, so they can appreciate being protected.
