Brazil Challenges Meta's New Hate Speech Policy

Brazil's government has expressed serious concerns over Meta Platforms' new hate speech policy changes. The country argues the amendments do not comply with Brazilian law, especially after Meta reduced curbs and removed its fact-checking program in the U.S. A public hearing is set to discuss the implications.

Brazil's government has voiced serious concerns over Meta Platforms' recent changes to its hate speech policy, insisting that the amendments do not align with Brazilian legislation.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, reduced curbs on discussions about sensitive topics like immigration and gender identity, while discontinuing its fact-checking program in the U.S. This prompted President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to demand a detailed explanation from the social media giant.

The company responded that the modifications to the fact-checking policy were currently limited to the U.S. and that changes to community standards were confined to hate speech. Brazil's solicitor general's office argues that these updates still compromise compliance with national laws and fundamental rights protection, prompting a planned public hearing to address the matter.

(With inputs from agencies.)