Brazil Chamber of Deputies reviews bill to criminalize online animal cruelty

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies is analyzing Bill 2791/26, authored by Deputy Gleisi Hoffmann, which aims to criminalize the online publication and dissemination of animal cruelty, mistreatment, and torture.

The proposal seeks to amend the Environmental Crimes Law and the Civil Framework of the Internet. It proposes increasing the penalties for those who share such content by half. If the dissemination involves children or adolescents, or occurs habitually in competitions or collective challenges, the penalty could be tripled.

Additionally, the bill introduces civil liability for social media platforms and digital providers if they fail to promptly remove content that promotes or encourages animal violence following notification. The federal government would be responsible for defining notification procedures and removal deadlines. The bill is currently set to be reviewed by several commissions before proceeding to a plenary vote.