Google says Fake News PL ‘may limit freedom of expression’

This Thursday (27), Google once again positions itself against Act 2630/2020, also known as Fake News PL. Big tech believes the new rules could change the internet “for the worse”, limit innovation, freedom of expression, and reduce the creation of economic opportunities.

Google Brasil Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy Marcelo Lacerda points out in a text published on the brand’s official blog: The company is in favor of the goals of the new rules, but that the current text could have “unintended consequences.”.

Lacerda details six points that the company finds worrisome in the current PL 2630/2020 format. According to him, the new rule:

• It results in protecting those who produce false information;
• Puts the Internet access and free distribution of content at risk;
• It gives broad powers to a government body to decide what Brazilians can see online;
• It poses serious threats to freedom of expression;
• harms Brazilian companies and advertisers;
• It treats search engines like social networks, making it harder for Brazilians to access Google Search.

Comments

For example, Google Brasil Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy mentions that PL 2630/2020 has rules that “protect” content produced by companies for journalistic purposes. According to him, this may force social networks and communication companies to broadcast, for example, false news produced by partial means.

Another criticism of the executive is towards the creation of an “autonomous regulatory body” to oversee social networks. Lacerda argues that the agency will have broad powers to limit the content available to Brazilians, and that this work will have “low levels of control.”

Also, the Google representative does not approve of the parts of PL 2630/2020 that are supposed to sync search engines with social networks. “This is causing a damaging disruption to Search as it has limited tools to remove illegal content,” he says.

“We understand the urgency of addressing such important issues, such as the issue of disinformation, and are committed to contributing to public debate, including the creation of new laws. However, the current text deviates from its original purpose of combating disinformation, without engaging in wide-ranging public debates or even going through House of Representatives committees. he hastily implemented the new tools,” he concludes.

Fake News Declaration

Despite its nickname, bill 2630/2020, written by Senator Alessandro Vieira (Cidadania/SE), aims to regulate social networks. That is, the attempt to curb fake news is a secondary target of the new regiment.

The topic was hot this week because last Tuesday (25) the House of Representatives approved the urgency regime on the agenda. For this reason, the issue will go to the general assembly to be voted on next Tuesday (2).

PL 2630/2020 provides for sanctions for major technologies in case of hateful content, payment for journalistic tools, benefits for politicians’ accounts and more, as well as creating a body to oversee the operation of social networks.