Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) faces potential renewed scrutiny over its role in Brazil’s presidential election after internal communications reportedly acknowledged restrictions affecting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s Instagram accounts while recommending challenger Flávio Bolsonaro’s profile.
Meta Denies Political Interference In Brazil Election
Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported Friday, citing internal messages, that Meta employees discussed technical problems affecting Lula’s Instagram accounts and recommendations promoting Bolsonaro’s profile and WhatsApp channel, Reuters reported.
The reported restrictions included posts appearing without share buttons, reduced reach, and Instagram Stories that prevented users from reacting or sharing content.
Some videos also reportedly appeared without audio or played at accelerated speeds.
Meta said the technical issues were already public, arguing that the internal discussions concerned their severity rather than political interference. In a statement, the tech giant said “any suggestion” the company favors one side is false.
Meta did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
Brazil’s Electoral Court Orders Meta to Ensure Fair Reach
Lula’s camp said earlier this week it would file a complaint with the Organization of American States, accusing Meta of manipulating social media during the election.
On Thursday, a justice at Brazil’s top electoral court ordered Meta not to unjustifiably restrict the reach of political content related to either candidate through the end of the runoff campaign.
The ruling also required Meta AI, the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, not to favor either candidate when generating election-related content.
Lula And Bolsonaro Head for Presidential Runoff
Lula and Bolsonaro are scheduled to face off in an Oct. 25 runoff after the senator performed better than expected in the first round earlier this month.
Price Action: Meta closed at $709.32 on Friday, down 3.72%. In after-hours trading, the stock slipped 0.56% to $705.32, according to Benzinga Pro.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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