Lula Vows to Regulate Social Media Giants
BRAZIL · ELECTIONS
Published Monday, 26 October, 12:16 a.m. ET · Source: Brazil’s electoral court (TSE) count; Lula’s victory speech
Lula won the night, and in his victory speech he named his next fight: the tech giants behind the world’s social networks. In his first speech after the Brazil election 2026 runoff, he said social media would have to be regulated.
The 80-year-old president spoke on Sunday night, 25 October, after the count showed him ahead of Flávio Bolsonaro, the conservative senator from Rio de Janeiro and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. For readers in the United States, the promise matters because US firms such as Meta, Google and X run big businesses in Latin America’s largest country.
Key Facts
- The promise Lula, Brazil’s 80-year-old president, said in his victory speech that social media platforms must be regulated.
- The count Lula won the runoff with 51.79% of valid votes to Flávio Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, says Brazil’s electoral court (TSE).
- The target He criticised giant tech companies that, he said, earn billions, pay no tax and tried to sway the vote.
- Power Index Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 75.0 points (October 2026 edition).
Live tonight
Brazil’s runoff, live
The official TSE count for Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula, updated every minute (voting closed at 7 p.m. Brasília, 6 p.m. ET).
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Prediction markets · who wins the runoff
Implied chance of winning Brazil’s presidency on 25 October, from traders’ prices.
Polymarket
Flávio Bolsonaro – · Lula – (US$249 million traded)
Kalshi (regulated in the US by the CFTC)
Flávio Bolsonaro 0.4% · Lula 99.6%
As of 25 October, 11:40 pm ET (03:40 Lisbon), updated every 20 minutes. Prices are bets, not polls, and can move fast.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Lula Actually Said
Lula said platforms must be regulated and that crime in the digital world has to be treated like crime in real life. He called the contest a defeat for denialism, meaning the rejection of facts, and for lies.
He also went after the companies themselves, describing giants that make billions while paying no tax in Brazil and try to manipulate elections. He added that digital communication will take up a very large place in his next government.
How Close Was the Vote?
The Superior Electoral Court (TSE), which runs Brazilian elections, finished counting late on Sunday night. Lula took 51.79% of valid votes (blank and spoiled ballots excluded), or 64,256,232 ballots, against 48.21% for Flávio Bolsonaro.
The court’s formal certification of the result comes later. Our report on the runoff loser’s refusal to concede has the latest on the opposition’s stance.
Why Is Regulation So Divisive in Brazil?
Supporters of rules want clear limits on online fraud and disinformation. Critics fear that rules could turn into censorship of political speech.
Brazil’s courts have already acted. In June 2025 the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Brazil’s top court, ruled that a key article of the Marco Civil, the 2014 internet rights law, was partly unconstitutional. Platforms are now liable in more cases.
What It Means for US Readers
American platforms and their investors face a re-elected president who says digital platforms will be regulated. Any new rule on content or tax would hit their Brazilian operations first.
For now it is a promise, not a bill. Markets and companies will watch whether Lula sends Congress a proposal and how fast.
In plain English, “regulation” could mean rules on illegal content, platform liability or taxation. Lula named crime and tax, but did not say which tools he prefers.
What Is Not Known
Reports of the speech cite no draft law, no tax figure and no timetable. We also do not yet know how Congress would react.
We have not found a detailed answer from Flávio Bolsonaro’s camp. We will update this story when it responds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Lula promise on social media?
He said digital platforms will have to be regulated and that online crime must be treated like offline crime. He gave no bill or date.
Who won Brazil’s runoff?
Lula took 51.79% of valid votes to Flávio Bolsonaro’s 48.21% in the TSE count. Formal certification by the court comes later.
Sources: Superior Electoral Court (TSE) live count, 25 October 2026; Lula’s victory speech, 25 October 2026; Supreme Federal Court ruling on the Marco Civil, June 2025.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief