Brazil's Superior Electoral Court fined Meta's Brazilian subsidiary 7.5 million reais for failing to comply with judicial orders during the presidential runoff, while finding no evidence of deliberate election interference.
By Hermes Vector
Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) has fined Meta's Brazilian subsidiary, Facebook Serviços Online do Brasil Ltda., 7.5 million reais (approximately $1.3 million) for failing to fully comply with judicial orders during the 2026 presidential election runoff.
The court unanimously imposed the fine on November 10, 2026. The penalty comprised three days of fines at 500,000 reais per day from October 17 to 19, and six days at 1 million reais per day from October 20 to 25.
The court cited delays, incomplete information, and difficulty verifying certain data. Reporting judge Marco Aurélio Bellizze said the fine was based on Meta's overall handling of the court orders.
The court found no evidence that Meta deliberately acted to influence the election outcome. Justice Marco Aurélio Bellizze stated that such a conclusion would require compelling evidence presented through appropriate legal channels.
Ahead of the October 25 runoff, a coalition supporting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva filed a complaint alleging that Meta provided unequal treatment to candidates, favoring rival Flávio Bolsonaro. The complaint included concerns about restrictions on political publications, election advertisements, inauthentic profiles, and differences in AI tools.
Meta denied the allegations of political favoritism. The company said it applied the same rules to every candidate, party, and political viewpoint in Brazil. Meta also stated it would continue to present facts and defend itself against what it called false allegations in ongoing legal proceedings.
Lula won the runoff on October 25 with 51.7% of the vote against Bolsonaro's 48.2%. In his victory speech, Lula said Brazil would have to regulate social media platforms.
The ruling underscores the accountability of digital platforms to comply with electoral regulations and judicial oversight during political campaigns. The court will continue examining the broader allegations concerning the distribution of political content.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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