Supporters of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva protested outside Meta’s São Paulo headquarters on Monday, six days before the election, organized by the platform “Não Se Meta.” The roughly 200 demonstrators accused the tech giant of interfering in the electoral process by reducing the reach of Lula’s posts while boosting content from opposition candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.
The protesters claimed Meta was committing electoral crimes and argued that “Meta cannot be an invisible judge of the electoral process.” They alleged the company has engaged in electoral interference since the 2018 election, when Jair Bolsonaro became president.
According to the source, the Superior Electoral Court ordered Meta to demonstrate within 24 hours that it guarantees equal treatment for both candidates’ campaigns. Both Lula and Bolsonaro have filed complaints with the electoral court alleging their political content is disadvantaged on Meta’s platforms, though the company has denied any interference.
Protester goals included demanding Meta stop “manipulating elections through social media” and preventing content aimed at working-class audiences from reaching them. They emphasized that 70% of the Brazilian population gets its news from Instagram, making the platform’s editorial decisions consequential for public debate.
Activist Veronyka Gimenes, known on social media as Trava Hacker, stated: “Digital sovereignty is no joke. It’s something that must be taken very seriously.” According to Gimenes, companies like Meta participate in “digital colonialism” aimed at dominating countries like Brazil and experimenting with their electoral processes.
Fellow activist Tiana Cauton declared plans to achieve “autonomy with our own social media platforms, open and transparent” during Lula’s fourth term, framing communication rights as central to the movement. Activist Mandi Coelho claimed “Big Tech is part of the hate industry that has blood on its hands.”
Demonstrators held banners featuring photos of Zuckerberg and U.S. President Donald Trump while chanting “Digital sovereignty! Meta out of the electoral process!”
Key facts
- About 200 demonstrators protested outside Meta’s São Paulo headquarters on Monday
- Protesters accused Meta of reducing Lula’s post reach while boosting Bolsonaro opposition candidate Flávio Bolsonaro’s content
- The Superior Electoral Court ordered Meta to demonstrate equal treatment for both candidates within 24 hours
- Both Lula and Bolsonaro have filed complaints alleging their content is disadvantaged on Meta platforms
- Meta has denied any electoral interference
- Protesters noted 70% of Brazilians get news from Instagram