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Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling
Meta said technical glitches and anti-fraud measures, not political bias, caused the problems as a study found 1,613 irregular political ads.
- Meta denied accusations Friday that it acted with political bias during Brazil's presidential campaign, less than a day after the country's electoral court ruled the platform must give equal treatment to incumbent Luiz Lula Silva and opposition candidate Bolsonaro ahead of their Oct. 25 runoff.
- Lula Silva's campaign triggered the lawsuit, alleging that Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, used biased algorithms and AI restrictions to favor Bolsonaro.
- A study released this week by researchers at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro found Meta allowed at least 1,613 irregular political ads totaling 171 million views and generating roughly 2 million reais in revenue between July and September.
- Meta insisted its systems do not distribute content based on political ideology and pledged to ensure a level playing field for all users, emphasizing that rules apply equally to all candidates.
- These allegations mirror European cases in Germany and Romania where courts intervened to correct platform imbalances, as Brazil continues efforts to hold Big Tech accountable for electoral transparency.
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Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after ele
A supporter holds a sign with a message reading in Portuguese, "When we reach the goal, we double the goal," referring to Meta Platforms and concerns about possible election interference, before the arrival of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, at a campaign rally in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
·Baltimore, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources7
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 33%
C 67%
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