Meta employees admitted in internal communications that the Instagram accounts of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were negatively impacted by restrictions during the country's election period. According to a report by the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, which cited reviewed messages, the platform hindered Lula's reach while simultaneously suggesting the profile of his opponent, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, and his WhatsApp channel to users.
Technical Anomalies and Allegations
Lula's campaign team stated earlier this week that they intend to file a complaint with the Organization of American States (OAS), alleging that Meta—the parent company of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook—manipulated social media during the Brazilian elections. The party highlighted several specific issues that restricted engagement:
- Posts appearing without a share button.
- Significantly reduced reach for campaign content.
- Instagram Stories that disabled reactions or sharing capabilities.
- Videos playing without audio or at an accelerated speed.
Judicial Injunction and Meta AI
Following these reports, a judge from Brazil's superior electoral court ordered Meta on Thursday to cease any unjustified restrictions on political content related to the two candidates until the end of the run-off campaign. The ruling also specifically addressed Meta AI, the company's artificial intelligence chatbot, mandating that it must not favor either candidate when generating election-related content. Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the internal leaks.
