Meta races the clock to prove to Brazil’s electoral court it treats Lula and Bolsonaro equally
The 24-hour deadline given by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court to Meta to show that its algorithms and artificial intelligence treat President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro equally expires on Tuesday, five days before the runoff. If the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp fails to show compliance, the daily fine will double from 500,000 to one million reais.
The 24-hour deadline given by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court to Meta to show that its algorithms and artificial intelligence treat President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro equally expires on Tuesday, five days before the runoff. If the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp fails to show compliance, the daily fine will double from 500,000 to one million reais.
The order, in force until the October 25 vote, bars Meta from unequally reducing the reach of candidates’ posts, limiting recommendations or restricting search results in favour of either. It stems from a complaint by Lula’s campaign, which says the reach of his profiles was reduced and that Meta’s artificial intelligence tool refused to generate images supporting the president while doing so for his rival. Bolsonaro’s campaign has also gone to the court, saying Meta allowed negative ads against the senator and the circulation of AI-made Lula campaign material without the mandatory label. The judge admitted it to the case.
Polls show a statistical tie between the two candidates, who will debate again on Friday on TV Globo.
