MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula wants social media regulated by law

Democracy is a daily construction that requires courage, Lula argued

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for legislation to regulate digital platforms and combat the concentration of power in “digital oligarchies.” At the inauguration of the Brazilian Bar Association's (OAB) new leadership, he underlined the need to protect democracy, promote fair competition, and safeguard vulnerable groups from “digital colonialism,” he also pointed out while highlighting the OAB's role in defending democracy.

Lula also warned against rising authoritarian threats, referencing the 2023 coup attempt, and defended lawyers' constitutional rights, crediting their work for proving his innocence in the Operation Lava Jato cases. “The prerogatives of lawyers are not privileges, but fundamental rights for the full exercise of the right to defense, so dear to our Constitution. It is worth remembering that thanks to the actions of a combative legal profession I was able to see my innocence prevail in the face of the abuse of power perpetrated by a group that wanted to take justice and the law for itself,” Lula argued.

In his speech, Lula underscored the problems caused by the spread of hatred and disinformation on social networks. He then advocated the approval of legislation to tackle the concentration of power on digital platforms. “Faced with a lack of adequate regulation, we have seen a trend towards an unprecedented concentration of power in digital oligarchies. An absolutist power that knows no borders and aims to subjugate national jurisdictions. It is imperative to move forward in creating a robust legal framework that promotes fair competition and protects children, women, and minorities,” he said.

“We must ensure that everyone has equal access to opportunities in the digital environment and that we are all protected from the threat of a new form of colonialism, so-called digital colonialism,” he added.

“We are currently facing a global scenario in which fascism is resurfacing in new forms. In Brazil, political intolerance has reached the extreme of an attempted coup against democracy. A coup that even included the assassination of the president and vice-president of the Republic and the Superior Electoral Court Chief Justice,” he said.

“Democracy is not a given. It is a daily construction that requires courage, unity, and commitment to the values that make us a free and just nation. Today's Brazil faces challenges that require us to be united, courageous, and determined. We need to rebuild the foundations of our democracy, promote social justice, and combat the inequalities still plaguing our nation,” Lula further noted.

For the next three years, the National OAB will continue to be presided over by Beto Simonetti, a lawyer from the state of Amazonas, who was re-elected in January for a second term as the head of the organization. He received 100% of the 81 valid votes and will lead the institution until 2028. Simonetti is the first OAB president to be re-elected since Brazil's re-democratization. (Source: Agencia Brasil)