Allegations of Brazil Elections and Account Restrictions in Meta Employees' Internal Communications
Allegations that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's accounts were restricted and rival profiles were promoted during the election process in Brazil have sparked controversy.
According to internal communications reviewed by the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, Meta employees acknowledged that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's Instagram accounts were restricted during the Brazil elections.
Allegations in Internal Communications
The messages examined by the newspaper stated that Meta employees acknowledged that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's Instagram accounts faced restrictions during the election period. The same communications also included information that the platform recommended rival candidate Senator Flavio Bolsonaro's profile and WhatsApp channel.
Meta's Statements
Meta stated that the technical issues mentioned in the report were already publicly known and that the discussions held were not related to political interference, but solely addressed the severity of the issues. The company officially stated that allegations of favoring any side are completely false.
Lula Camp's Actions and Court Ruling
Lula's team announced they were preparing to file a complaint with the Organization of American States, claiming that the social media giant interfered in the election process. Meanwhile, a judge from Brazil's highest electoral court instructed the company not to unfairly restrict access to political content until the end of the campaign.