The imminent future of digital regulation in Brazil

With the new year, several topics have been revived in the Brazilian public debate. Perhaps one of the most notable is digital regulation. The failed attempt to pass a legislative proposal on the matter in 2023 has not stopped the discussion from resurfacing, arguably driven by some newsworthy events that took place since December, including the tragic death of Jéssica Canedo — a 22-year-old student from Minas Gerais, who committed suicide after her name was mistakenly linked to an affair with a famous Brazilian comedian.

With the change in leadership at the Justice Ministry — following the departure of Flávio Dino for the Supreme Court and former Justice Ricardo Lewandowski taking his place — there is a new opportunity for the debate to take center stage in the executive branch, although the new justice minister has not yet announced what his main objectives for the year will be.

Mr. Dino undoubtedly valued the matter of digital regulation, but he never fully engaged with Congress to discuss the so-called “Fake News Bill,” opting instead to implement measures within the ministry – such as the creation of the Digital Rights Secretary, which carried out projects such as an operation to monitor, investigate, and issue search warrants on...