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Anatel ordered by Supreme Court to address mobile data access for elections
Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin has ordered the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to provide a response within 48 hours regarding a legal request to ensure uninterrupted mobile internet access during the 2026 elections. The Attorney General's Office (AGU) and the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) must also submit their opinions within the same timeframe.
The lawsuit, filed by the Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Educação (CNTE) and the Partido Verde (PV), seeks a preliminary injunction to suspend data caps 72 hours before and 24 hours after each election round. The plaintiffs argue that current data limits create information inequality, particularly for lower-income citizens, and may facilitate misinformation by restricting access to news sites while allowing unlimited access to zero-rated messaging apps.
Anatel has warned the court that unrestricted access could cause traffic spikes capable of disrupting mobile connectivity near polling stations. The agency also noted that a 2025 study showed 70% of prepaid users rely on fixed Wi-Fi connections to manage their data usage, suggesting that connectivity limits may not be the primary driver of misinformation.
Entities
Anatel · Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Educação · Cristiano Zanin · Green Party · National Confederation of Education Workers · Partido Verde · Sleeping Giants Brasil · Supreme Federal Court · Supremo Tribunal Federal
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 6 SOURCES] A study by Sleeping Giants Brasil indicates 64.1 million connected Brazilian adults experience data cap exhaustion at least once a month. poa24horas.com.br · jornaldebrasilia.com.br
- [● 22 SOURCES] The Attorney General's Office (AGU) and the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) must also provide technical and legal opinions within 48 hours. www.araucarianoar.com.br · www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · itapevinoticias.com.br · sbtnews.sbt.com.br · www.cnnbrasil.com.br · +13 more
- [● 24 SOURCES] Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin set a 48-hour deadline for Anatel to respond to a request regarding mobile internet access during elections. www.araucarianoar.com.br · www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · itapevinoticias.com.br · sbtnews.sbt.com.br · www.cnnbrasil.com.br · +15 more
- [● 28 SOURCES] The CNTE and PV filed a lawsuit requesting unrestricted mobile internet access 72 hours before the first round of elections. www.araucarianoar.com.br · www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · itapevinoticias.com.br · portalgilbertosilva.com.br · sbtnews.sbt.com.br · +17 more
- [● 23 SOURCES] The plaintiffs argue that data caps prevent access to professional news and search engines, potentially facilitating misinformation via zero-rated apps like WhatsApp. poa24horas.com.br · jornaldebrasilia.com.br · www.araucarianoar.com.br · acidadenoticia.com.br · www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · +13 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] The entities request that the STF determine, in a preliminary injunction, the suspension of data blocking in the 72 hours preceding and 24 hours following each election round. www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · sbtnews.sbt.com.br · www.cnnbrasil.com.br · portaldiarioderondonia.com · maisminas.com.br
- [● 2 SOURCES] Anatel warned that unrestricted mobile internet access during elections could cause traffic peaks capable of interrupting connectivity, especially near polling stations. portaldiarioderondonia.com · maisminas.com.br
- [● 2 SOURCES] An Anatel survey found that 70% of prepaid mobile users utilize fixed Wi-Fi connections to avoid exhausting their mobile data plans. portaldiarioderondonia.com · maisminas.com.br