Live Blog

Covid hearings summon tech giants to investigate fake news

The Brazilian Senate’s Covid-19 hearings committee approved requests to summon executives of tech giants Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Senators want to investigate strategies used to disseminate pandemic-related falsehoods on social media.

The decision targets far-right influencers who used their social media channels to share misinformation about the coronavirus. The list includes President Jair Bolsonaro himself, who said during a Facebook live broadcast that being contaminated by the coronavirus offers immunity that is “more effective than the vaccine.” 

Last year, Mr. Bolsonaro had some of his pandemic-related posts labeled as false information, and some of his close allies fear he could be banned from social media platforms. Former U.S. President Donald Trump was banned from Facebook and Twitter after he incited violent riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

When senators began investigating the government’s pandemic response, many pro-Bolsonaro supporters deleted misleading content fearing a potential criminal charge for crimes against public health.

Lucas Berti

Lucas Berti covers international affairs — specialized in Latin American politics and markets. He has been published by Opera Mundi, Revista VIP, and The Intercept Brasil, among others.

Recent Posts

Market Roundup: The new skills corporate board members need

The specialization trend among corporate board members It is not only a matter of perception:…

20 hours ago

As elections near, what’s next for Panama’s closed copper mine?

Panama will hold its presidential elections on Sunday, months after huge protests saw thousands descend…

20 hours ago

Madonna concert to inject BRL 300 million into Rio economy

The city of Rio de Janeiro estimates that a Madonna concert this Saturday on Copacabana…

2 days ago

Panama ready to vote as Supreme Court clears frontrunner

Latin America’s trend of banning opposition candidates from elections has caught on in an ever-growing…

2 days ago

Sabesp privatization edges closer with São Paulo legislation

The São Paulo City Council on Thursday approved legislation authorizing Brazil’s largest city to sign…

2 days ago

Brazil’s AI regulation gets first draft to guide upcoming debates

The preliminary report on AI regulations presented to Brazil’s Senate last week provides a middle-of-the-road…

2 days ago