Brazil Proposes Censorship Bill to ‘Punish’ ‘Anti-democratic’ Speech Online: Report

Deja vu, America? Brazil is aiming to quash free speech with new legislation targeting online content that supposedly helps attack “democracy.”

Brazilian outlet UOL Noticias reported January 26 that the Brazilian government is considering new legislation that aims to “monitor and punish terrorist and anti-democratic publications” on social media networks, according to a Safari translation of the piece. The bill would increase censorship of online content that supposedly harms democracy. Similar language was usedto push for more censorship in the US after the Jan. 6, 2021 protests.

The proposed bill is part of a deceptively titled “Democracy Package,” and would provide for user reports on “offensive” content and hold social media companies “responsible” for supposed attacks on democracy. The bill would also notify tech platforms “to take action against posts” including “immediate removal of content.” Which would never involve political bias, right?