Tech roundup: Supreme debate on Big Tech accountability

Welcome to our Tech Roundup, where we bring you Brazil’s biggest stories on technology and innovation. This week: The country’s highest court is about to tackle the issue of big tech companies’ liability.

Brazil’s Supreme Court resumes debate on Big Tech accountability

Two justices of Brazil’s Supreme Court scheduled a public hearing for March 28 to gather suggestions on two appeals that could lay the groundwork for holding Big Tech platforms accountable for what is posted online.

State of play. The debate will center on two specific cases, both appeals. One, overseen by Justice Luiz Fux, deals with the duty of hosting companies to review posted content and remove anything deemed offensive, even without a court order.

• Another appeal, overseen by Justice Dias Toffoli, discusses the constitutionality of Article 19 of Brazil’s Civil Rights Framework for the Internet, which requires a prior and specific court order to exclude content to hold providers, website hosts, and managers of social network applications liable for damages resulting from unlawful acts committed by third parties.
• Article 19 states that the author is responsible for the content published, not the companies, and that it is up to the judiciary to give the final word on what is legal and what is not.

A Global debate. The discussion in Brazil resumes at the same time that the U.S. Supreme Court is about...