MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula sending bill to Congress to regulate social media

Foreign powers are unaware that 30 million people live in the Amazon, Lula noted

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced Tuesday that he would be sending a bill to Congress, providing for the regulation of social media. “We are going to regulate because it is necessary to establish minimum standards of behavior and procedure for the operation of a digital network,” he told Band News.

According to Lula, no one is taking responsibility for the content in these environments. He argued that large technology corporations should be subject to rules in Brazil and criticized a letter from the US government stating that big tech companies from that country did not accept being regulated.

He recalled that the Supreme Federal Court (STF) voted on a decision in which platforms are responsible for content. “Therefore, if there is something serious, it is the platform that must take responsibility.”

The president pointed out that the bill has been with the Chief of Staff's Office for two months. ”Tomorrow (Wednesday), at 3 p.m., it will be on my desk to settle the differences between the ministers and send it to Congress for regulation,“ he said.

Lula argued that it was unacceptable to give up on ensuring peace of mind for children and adolescents who may be victims of attacks and pedophilia. In his view, Brazil should be concerned with crimes committed on digital networks that must be tried and punished. ”This is not possible. That is why we are going to regulate it.“

Lula also said he hoped to one day meet with President Donald Trump and talk ”like two civilized human beings and two heads of state.”

The president also anticipated that his government would propose the creation of a tariff for rich countries to pay to curb climate change. The initiative would be brought forward during COP30 (Climate Conference) in Belém (PA) in November. “We want, in fact, environmental justice. And COP, in Brazil, will be transformed into the COP of truth,” he also mentioned in the same interview.

Rich countries owe more than US$1.3 trillion per year because of climate change, Lula claimed. He also emphasized that he wants to hear from heads of state about scientists' warnings. “Whether they think there is a problem with global warming or not. Our responsibility is not to allow warming to occur. In fact, it is already underway.”

The president assured that he intends to include environmental education in the school curriculum. “I think that a child learning how to sort trash can educate their parents.” Lula also gave examples of phenomena such as snow in Saudi Arabia and rain in the desert. “It's crazy what's happening on the planet. I think it has to do with human irresponsibility.”

Lula also said that he will create a council to discuss mineral exploration in Brazil, which will report to the president. “If Brazil has to make an agreement with another country to explore any of the minerals we have here, it will have to be produced here in Brazil.”

He also criticized the model of iron ore exploration, which involves selling the product and then buying industrialized material. “We have learned a lesson. We only have knowledge of 30% of our territory. We are going to survey 100% and use this as a way to make this country take a leap in quality.” Foreign powers are unaware that 30 million inhabitants are living in the Amazon, he also noted.

In addition, Lula defended his government's decisions on environmental issues, which have led to a 50% reduction in deforestation in the Amazon. “I have made a commitment that we will achieve zero deforestation by 2030,” he explained. “We want to take care of it. Taking care of our forest, our water, our Pantanal, our Caatinga, our Cerrado.”

Lula explained that protecting the environment guarantees quality of life for working people. “Under every tree canopy, there is a fisherman, a rubber tapper, an extractivist, a rural worker, an indigenous person. These people need to survive.” (Source: Agencia Brasil)