Brazil Election Court Weighs Limits on Mass Political Messaging
Brazil’s electoral court is considering a draft rule that would block political WhatsApp channels with more than 200,000 users around the 25 October runoff. Justice André Mendonça said the proposal is a joint draft and requires a full-court vote, while court president Kassio Nunes Marques said nothing would change. The measure would apply from 48 hours before the vote to 24 hours after it.
Brazil’s runoff is set for Sunday, 25 October, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva facing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. WhatsApp is described as the country’s leading messaging service, making channel rules important in the campaign’s closing days.
The proposal would affect political channels exceeding 200,000 subscribers during a 72-hour window around voting. Reports identify two large channels: one backing Lula with more than seven million subscribers, created by federal deputy André Janones, and a Flávio-oriented channel with roughly two million. Justice André Mendonça called the text a joint draft requiring a full-court vote; court president Kassio Nunes Marques said he would not convene one.
If adopted, the restriction could alter how millions of Brazilians receive campaign messages in the final hours, especially subscribers to the two large channels. It may reduce the reach of last-minute content that courts cannot promptly review, but could also limit political speech and leave users seeking information elsewhere. Campaigns and channel administrators may need to adjust communication plans, while voters could face a narrower or more fragmented information environment.