Home  >  Our members  >  Member activity  >  Brazil: petition against 'menacing' internet law gains early success

• Member activity
• Member directory
• Member support
  • Getting Started
  • Campaign communications
  • Case Studies
  • Glossary and Links
• How to apply
  • Categories
  • Costs
  • Criteria
• Accreditation
  • International representation
• 7 ways we work for our members

Member activity

Brazil: petition against 'menacing' internet law gains early success

Brazil: a protest organised last week by a Consumers International member is already producing results.

The protest and seminar last week was organised by the Brazilian Institute of Consumers (Idec) with Avaaz and the Mega Não movement against a draft law on cybercrime. It came with the support of more than 350,000 Brazilians and called for more discussion of a bill that criminalises the actions of internet users (Law 84/99, PL Azeredo).

 

Revisit the law

Idec's request to direct the proposed bill to the Commission on Consumer Protection of the House of Representatives is ready to be approved, said the coordinator of the Parliamentary Front for the Freedom of Expression, Deputy  Luiza Erundina. The statement was made during the seminar Digital Security and Citizenship, at the Commission on Science and Technology of the Senate on 24 August.

Internet bill threatens normal use

The bill threatens consumer privacy and penalises the everyday use of computers, such as content sharing, transferring music from a CD to a personal computer or other electronic device, and even the SIM unlocking of a tablet device or mobile phone. It also threatens to restrict the use of fundamental blogging tools.

 

Victory for consumers

The discussion of the bill at the Commission would be a victory for consumers. As postponing the approval of the bill as it is written, it would also allow an analysis of the text from the consumer's perspective of the internet.

"Much has been discussed about the social impact of the bill, but there was no space for users to be heard," said Idec attorney Guilherme Varella.

Speaking at the seminar last week, Varella questioned the real effectiveness of the bill, saying that it could be considered wrong and harmful to the consumer.

"The bill reverses the logic of the Consumer Protection Code, which is based on the principles of good faith concerning uninterrupted and continuous data monitoring," said Varella.

 

350,000 signatures

Idec and its collaborators also presented a petition with more than 17,000 signatures calling for further discussion and together they gathered more than 350,000 signatures rejecting the bill.

The petition had also been promoted in a protest at the National Congress in Brazil (pictured). "This bill  is considered restrictive and punitive. This is not a law that fulfills the right principles, values, rights and responsibilities," according Idec.