President Lula advocates regulation of social networks at UNESCO

President Lula (PT) sent a letter to UNESCO Advocating regulation of social media to curb hate speech and the spread of fake news. The document was read at the Internet for Trust event in Paris, France, this Wednesday morning (22) and aims to discuss threats to information integrity and freedom of expression.

In the letter, the Chief Executive Officer of Brazil, digital platforms have become indispensable for people and that they describe new ways of relating and consuming. The president says tools bring progress and spread knowledge.

On the other hand, Lula comments: the monopolization of the digital environment and the harming of the world by lack of management. “[O ambiente digital] it also brought risks for democracy. The risks of civilized coexistence among people. public health risks. The spread of misinformation during the pandemic has contributed to thousands of deaths. Hate speech is victimized every day. And those most affected are the most vulnerable sectors of our societies,” he argues.

Good morning. My letter to the opening of the ‘Internet for Trust’ conference, @UNESCOread it in Paris this morning. pic.twitter.com/7wHMm0SjA0

— Lula (@LulaOficial) February 22, 2023

Another criticism made by the President is that the benefits of networks are not distributed equally and therefore create social inequality.

Lula also states that communication platforms are to blame in cases such as the anti-democratic attacks on the headquarters of the three Powers on January 8, 2023.

“This campaign is largely [antidemocrática] designed, edited and distributed through various digital platforms and messaging applications. He repeated the same method that has already led to acts of violence elsewhere in the world. This must be stopped.”

Need for regulation

Another quote from President Lula’s letter says that politicians and experts should work to “reduce the digital divide and support the autonomy of developing countries in this area.”

The Chief Executive Officer also argued: it is necessary to guarantee everyone’s access to the internet and to train citizens to act consciously in the virtual world..

“We cannot allow the decisions of the few actors that control platforms today to affect the integrity of our democracies. Regulation should guarantee the exercise of individual and collective rights. “A business model that profits by using users’ personal data needs to correct its distortions,” he said.

Lula stated that in the regulation proposal, the process should be detailed in a transparent manner and with social participation. At the international level, regulation should be led by governments, experts and civil society participants from various countries.

Internet for Trust will be held today and tomorrow (23), and more than 3,000 representatives from governments, regulators, digital companies, universities and civil society are expected.

Federal Supreme Court (STF) judge Roberto Barroso, youtuber Felipe Neto and journalist Patricia Campos Mello will represent Brazil at the event.