A new Child Online Safety Bill in Brazil Bill 2628/2022, the Digital ECA, aims to protect children in digital environments. The law applies to any service or product aimed at children, as well as all pornographic websites available in Brazil, making it relevant across multiple sectors, from gaming and social media to e-commerce and entertainment platforms.
Its main idea is that tech services and products must include safeguards to prevent inappropriate use by minors. Digital platforms will need to design their services with child safety in mind, protecting against exploitation, abuse, intimidation, and harmful content. Age verification is a key requirement.
- Pornographic websites and social networks must block underage access and detect child accounts using reliable age verification. The Bill mentions that a valid identity card can be used, but other “technical measures” are also permitted.
- Social media platforms may require parents or guardians to confirm the identity of accounts suspected to belong to children, with collected data used solely for age verification. Providers must offer parental controls, allowing parents or guardians to manage privacy, limit communication, block content, and control usage time.
- Loot boxes are banned for children, and games with user interaction must follow strict rules to ensure safety. Targeted advertising based on profiling, emotional analysis, or VR/AR is prohibited for children.
- On social networks, child accounts must be linked to guardians, and behavioral profiling for advertising is forbidden. Providers are required to report any detected child sexual exploitation or abuse content to authorities.
Violations of the Bill may result in warnings, fines up to R$50 million per violation, suspension, or prohibition of activities. Companies will be required to comply with the new rules by March 2026. Reporting obligations are directed to the Executive Branch, while fines and penalties are enforced by the Judiciary.