Lula Updates Digital Platform Rules in Brazil

Why this is here: The new decrees require platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images reported by victims or their representatives within two hours.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed two decrees on Wednesday altering how digital platforms operate within Brazil. The measures update the country’s Civil Rights Framework for the Internet and introduce specific obligations for protecting women online. This signing occurred during a ceremony at the Palácio do Planalto marking 100 days of the National Pact for Brazil Against Feminicide, where Lula also approved four bills aimed at combating violence against women.

One decree responds to a 2025 Supreme Federal Court decision. Platforms may now be held liable for content even without a court order in cases of serious crimes or after receiving a removal notification they ignore.

The court identified seven serious crimes requiring immediate platform action, including terrorism and crimes against women and children. The other decree requires platforms to maintain accessible channels for reporting non-consensual intimate images, with a two-hour removal window.

The National Data Protection Authority will oversee enforcement, focusing on systemic issues rather than individual posts. The government has not yet clarified specific penalties for non-compliance, but the framework allows for warnings and fines. Further research is needed to determine how “systemic failure” will be defined and measured in practice.