Google Takes Down Criticism of Brazil’s “Fake New” Censorship Law After Government Threats 

Brazil’s recently passed “fake news” censorship law has been the subject of much controversy as even Google, no paragon of free speech, has voiced public opposition to the law.

However, the Brazilian government and the Brazilian Supreme Court clamped down on this criticism on the grounds that it’s protecting the right to free speech. Ironic to say the least.

Google recently warned Brazilian users on its homepage that the fake news legislation could “increase confusion about what is true or a lie.” Right after making its critical post, activist group Sleeping Giants Brasil complained that Google was “using its own platform to attack PL [the fake news law].”

Brazil’s Justice Minister, Flávio Dino, caught wind of this criticism and singled out Google for potential investigation over its alleged “abusive practices.”

Brazil’s Justice Ministry subsequently called for criminal action against Google, demanded the tech giant to take down the campaign or pay $200,000 hourly in fines, and instructed Google to put forward a message supporting the bill.

On top of that, Brazil Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes called on Federal Police to interrogate higher-ups at Google, Meta, and Spotify over their companies’ remarks about the bill.

Following Brazil’s Justice Ministry and Supreme Court decision to pressure Google to censor its criticism of the legislation, Dino argued that the tech titan’s criticism of fake news law was allegedly a mechanism “of censorship” and “violation of freedom of expression.”

Journalist Glenn Greenwald, who resides in Brazil, declared that prohibiting the criticism of the fake news law was some of the most “blatant authoritarianism…I’ve ever seen.”

Under this law, social media platforms and chat applications are required to censor so-called “hate speech.” Platforms that fail to abide by this law are subject to stiff fines and can also be prohibited in the county.

Indeed, Brazil’s current government is no fan of individual freedoms. It’s a thoroughly hostile institution to personal freedom and very likely is on the World Economic Forum’s payroll. Right-wing, patriotic Brazilians need to resist this tyranny as much as possible and kick off a broad-based populist opposition movement to overthrow the present ruling class that holds power in the country. 

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