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On Tuesday, the Brazilian Justice Ministry issued a warning to Google, threatening to fine the company up to $200,000 per hour if it continued what it called a propaganda campaign against Brazilian legislation intended to combat misinformation.
Later on Tuesday, the company removed a piece of content that the ministry had deemed to be propaganda, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the major tech company had complied fully with the directive. Email requests for comment from the ministry and Google did not immediately receive a response.
The legislation would set penalties and deadlines for removing false information and hate speech from social media and messaging apps, as well as require tech companies to submit reports on transparency. It is being fiercely contested by major tech companies, including Google.
The administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva claims that it is critical to control online speech in the wake of a recent wave of deadly school shootings, which officials claim were sparked by hate speech and online discussion forums. The lower chamber received the bill on Friday, and a vote could take place this week.
Google posted a message on its homepage on Sunday arguing that the bill should be improved because it “could increase confusion about what is true or false in Brazil.” The message led to an article listing arguments against the bill that was written by the search engine’s public policy division.
Google was ordered to promote content that contradicts its position by Brazil’s Justice Ministry, which accused the search giant of endorsing a covert editorial position. The agency also came to the conclusion that Google must make it clear that its position is propaganda and must be open about any meddling with links to the bill in its search engine.
If the business disobeyed the order, the agency threatened to fine it 1 million reais, or roughly $200,000, per hour. Following the publication of the order on Tuesday, Google’s message on its home page and the article were taken down.
Last week, Brazilian lawmakers granted a request to expedite the House of Representatives’ approval of the bill. Analysts and major tech firms criticized the action and asserted that more discussion was required.
The legislation was first passed by the Senate in 2020, when Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right leader who succeeded Lula, was president. Since then, it has undergone significant revisions and expanded significantly. The bill will go back to the Senate for a final vote if the House passes it.
A judge last week suspended Telegram for refusing to send information about users who circulated Nazi rhetoric. A few days later, the suspension was lifted by another judgment.
