Meta accused of unequal treatment as Lula's accounts face restrictions during Brazil polls: Reports
The controversy centres on whether technical restrictions and recommendation systems affected the visibility of political candidates differently.
- Oct 17, 2026,
- Updated Oct 17, 2026 3:03 PM IST
Meta employees acknowledged in internal communications that Instagram accounts belonging to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were affected by restrictions during the country’s presidential election campaign, Reuters reported citing a report by Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo.
The internal messages also indicated that Meta’s platforms recommended the profile of Lula’s challenger, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, on Instagram and promoted his WhatsApp channel, raising questions about the handling of political content during a closely contested election.
Folha reviewed internal communications in which Meta employees discussed the restrictions affecting Lula’s accounts and the platform’s recommendations for Bolsonaro. Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment at the time of its report.
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The developments come as Brazil prepares for a presidential runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro on October 25. Bolsonaro performed more strongly than expected in the first round of voting earlier this month, setting up a closely watched contest between the incumbent president and his right-wing challenger.
Lula’s political camp has raised concerns about Meta’s handling of election-related content. Earlier this week, the president’s allies said they would file a complaint with the Organisation of American States, alleging that the company’s platforms had manipulated social media activity during the election campaign.
Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has faced scrutiny over the role of its platforms in political communication, particularly during elections when online visibility can influence how candidates reach voters.
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The controversy centres on whether technical restrictions and recommendation systems affected the visibility of political candidates differently. Such concerns are particularly significant in Brazil, where digital platforms have become important channels for campaigning, political messaging and voter engagement.
Brazil’s electoral authorities have also intervened in the dispute. A justice of the country’s top electoral court ordered Meta not to unjustifiably restrict the reach of political content related to either candidate until the end of the runoff campaign.
The order also requires the company’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Meta AI, to apply equal treatment to both candidates when generating election-related content.
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Meta employees acknowledged in internal communications that Instagram accounts belonging to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were affected by restrictions during the country’s presidential election campaign, Reuters reported citing a report by Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo.
The internal messages also indicated that Meta’s platforms recommended the profile of Lula’s challenger, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, on Instagram and promoted his WhatsApp channel, raising questions about the handling of political content during a closely contested election.
Folha reviewed internal communications in which Meta employees discussed the restrictions affecting Lula’s accounts and the platform’s recommendations for Bolsonaro. Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment at the time of its report.
ALSO READ | Meta launches Muse Spark Open model to run on Mac Studio: How it can benefit users
The developments come as Brazil prepares for a presidential runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro on October 25. Bolsonaro performed more strongly than expected in the first round of voting earlier this month, setting up a closely watched contest between the incumbent president and his right-wing challenger.
Lula’s political camp has raised concerns about Meta’s handling of election-related content. Earlier this week, the president’s allies said they would file a complaint with the Organisation of American States, alleging that the company’s platforms had manipulated social media activity during the election campaign.
Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has faced scrutiny over the role of its platforms in political communication, particularly during elections when online visibility can influence how candidates reach voters.
DON'T MISS | Meta faces UK probe over Instagram Instants, Ofcom questions safety checks before launch
The controversy centres on whether technical restrictions and recommendation systems affected the visibility of political candidates differently. Such concerns are particularly significant in Brazil, where digital platforms have become important channels for campaigning, political messaging and voter engagement.
Brazil’s electoral authorities have also intervened in the dispute. A justice of the country’s top electoral court ordered Meta not to unjustifiably restrict the reach of political content related to either candidate until the end of the runoff campaign.
The order also requires the company’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Meta AI, to apply equal treatment to both candidates when generating election-related content.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine