In a reciprocal move, Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro, filed a petition seeking Lula’s disqualification. His team alleged that the government abused political and economic power by using personal data from official databases to send mass messages on WhatsApp promoting social programmes. Both campaigns are also seeking eight-year bans on their opponents from standing for office following the 2026 election.
Meta has denied treating the campaigns unequally, stating it will comply with any court order to ensure equal treatment. The tech company clarified that it did not take action to favour one side of the election. The dispute follows a report by UN experts, led by the special rapporteur on freedom of expression, who expressed concern over discrepancies in the ability of each campaign to reach voters on Meta’s platforms.
The UN report cited specific incidents, including temporary interruptions of one candidate’s campaign account and differences in audience engagement, user feeds, view counts, and reach. It noted that restrictions were placed on one campaign’s Instagram posts, with information from Meta employees suggesting that accounts linked to one side of the race were disproportionately curtailed. Additionally, users reported that Meta’s artificial intelligence tools were not generating images related to Lula.
Lula’s petition specifically asks the TSE to investigate Bolsonaro and his vice-presidential candidate, Alfredo Gaspar, for “abuse of economic power and improper use of social network.” Flávio Bolsonaro’s counter-petition accuses his rival of similar abuses, focusing on the dissemination of government posts. The legal battles intensify as Brazil’s 159 million registered voters prepare for the second round of voting.
The contest remains extremely close, with opinion polls showing little separation between the two candidates. Flávio Bolsonaro narrowly defeated Lula in the first round on 4 October but fell short of the 50% threshold required to win outright. The race marks a significant political shift, as Lula seeks a fourth term in office against the son of his previous main opponent, Jair Bolsonaro.
Separate from the electoral dispute, the source material notes that Meta’s leadership has indicated an intention to exit Brazil over a wealth tax that has not yet come into force. Reports also reference a fine against Facebook’s owner, described as the largest to date and larger than an $18 billion agreement with California, though specific details of this fine’s relation to the election are not elaborated in the provided text.
