With announcements of threats and cases of violence in schools, it was decided by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) that there will be a series of obligations to be fulfilled by social networking platforms. The information came through the Brazil Agency, where it is said that the signed norm brings “practical and concrete measures” to regulate the service provided by social networks, focusing on the prevention of violence in schools. If you follow the big media outlets, you’ve probably already seen that there were two violent attacks, in addition to the threat of attacks across the country.
Standard to avoid violence incited by social networks is created in Brazil
Now the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), an agency of the Ministry of Justice, must initiate administrative processes to determine the responsibility of each social networking company in relation to the possible violation of what Minister Flávio Dino called the “duty of safety and care ” of platforms in relation to violent content against school communities. The minister said at a press conference that:
For the first time, we have clear rules on how to combat conduct based on the accountability of companies, which, for years, said they were neutral and, therefore, they were not responsible. And they are. What the ordinance states is that they are politically, socially and legally responsible. Because these companies are service providers, they select content that we view, they promote content, they influence, therefore, the content that circulates on the internet.
If the companies responsible for social networks fail to comply with the measures, there will be the application of fines that can reach R$ 12 million or, in a more serious case, the administrative suspension of social network services in the country. Flavio says:
What we want is the adequacy of these services. But, the administrative process will be in place and, of course, if this normativity dictated on violence against schools is not complied with, the administrative process will go ahead for the application of these sanctions, ranging from fines to, eventually, the suspension of activities.
