Lula campaign accuses Meta of interfering in Brazilian election

The campaign supporting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has formally accused Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, of interfering in Brazil’s electoral process. The allegations center on technical restrictions imposed on the president’s digital presence during a critical period leading up to the runoff vote scheduled for October 25.

Meta denies interference claims

According to a statement issued by the Lula campaign, Meta platforms prevented the president’s profile from promoting posts via Instagram Reels in recent days. Additionally, an official post from his account experienced a sudden drop in view counts, which negatively impacted its reach and visibility among voters.

The campaign further noted that prior to the first round of voting held last Sunday—where Senator Flávio Bolsonaro finished in first place—Lula’s accounts and those of several left-wing leaders disappeared from Instagram’s search functionality. These cumulative technical issues have raised strong suspicions within the campaign that Meta’s practices constitute an attempt to favor Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, in the upcoming election.

Company cites global technical issues

Meta’s office in Brazil rejected these accusations, describing them as incorrect and lacking factual basis. In an email response to Agence France-Presse, the company stated that many of the reported technical problems were not exclusive to Brazil or specific accounts. Meta affirmed its commitment to electoral rules and emphasized its effort to provide equal opportunities regarding the use of its platforms.

Lula is currently seeking a fourth non-consecutive term in office. His opponent in the runoff is Flávio Bolsonaro, who secured the top position in the initial voting round. The dispute over social media visibility highlights the increasing scrutiny of tech giants' roles in modern democratic elections.