Lula supporters protest in opposition to Meta
São Paulo (EFE).- Supporters of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva protested exterior the São Paulo headquarters of tech big Meta on Monday, six days earlier than the election. They accused the corporate of favoring content material from opposition candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.
Organized by the platform «Não Se Meta,» the protest drew about 200 demonstrators who demanded that the corporate, led by Mark Zuckerberg, clarify its actions.
The protesters accused Meta of «interfering within the elections and harming President Lula by lowering the attain of his posts and boosting these of Flavio.»
«Meta can’t be an invisible choose of the electoral course of,» they argued exterior the corporate’s Brazil headquarters, accusing it of committing electoral crimes because the 2018 election, when Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023) grew to become president.
On Monday, the Superior Electoral Court gave Meta, the corporate that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, 24 hours to show that it ensures equal remedy for the campaigns of the 2 candidates for the Planalto Palace.
Both Lula and Bolsonaro have filed complaints with the electoral court docket, alleging that their political content material is deprived on Meta’s platforms. The firm has denied any interference within the elections.
One of the rally’s objectives was to demand that the tech big cease «manipulating elections by social media» and «stopping content material aimed on the working class from reaching them.»
Protesters denounced the elimination or discount of content material, noting that it impacts public debate and the steadiness of the electoral contest. They additionally famous that 70% of the Brazilian inhabitants will get its information from Instagram.
«Digital sovereignty is not any joke. It’s one thing that should be taken very critically,» declared Veronyka Gimenes, an activist identified on social media as Trava Hacker.
According to Gimenes, firms like Meta are a part of a “digital colonialism” challenge that goals to dominate nations like Brazil and experiment with their electoral processes.
«In Lula’s fourth time period, we are going to obtain autonomy with our personal social media platforms, open and clear,» stated fellow activist Tiana Cauton. She added that «we should take to the streets for the precise to communication.»
«Big Tech is a part of the hate business that has blood on its fingers,» claimed Mandi Coelho, an activist who traveled to Gaza with the Global Sumud Flotilla.
While holding banners and indicators that includes images of Zuckerberg and United States President Donald Trump, attendees chanted: “Digital sovereignty! Meta out of the electoral course of!” EFE
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