Moraes: “STF will not allow networks to continue being instrumentalized”

Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), said that he is “absolutely convinced” that the Court will regulate social networks.

“I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but, for Brazil, I am absolutely certain and convinced that the STF will not allow networks to continue to be instrumentalized, intentionally or negligently, or just for profit, to amplify hate speech,” said Moraes , in an event with court employees that marks two years since the attacks on the headquarters of the Three Powers.

Last year, the Supreme Court began judging two cases that discuss the responsibility of social networks for third-party content. The trial was suspended following a request from Minister André Mendonça and should be resumed at the beginning of this year.

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The statement was made one day after Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, published a video accusing Latin America of having “secret censorship courts”, without mentioning the Brazilian Supreme Court

Moraes attributed the “true cause” of the violent acts of January 8, 2023 to social media. “The main cause of all this was not suppressed, it was not even regulated,” stated the minister.

In Moraes’ view, network regulation is today’s biggest challenge.

“This is the challenge today in Brazil and the world, of not allowing big techs, with their irresponsible leaders, because they think that because they have money they can rule the world, to regulate and hold people accountable”, he concluded.