Brazil's digital child law drives court proposal and exposes platform verification gaps

The Brazilian National Council of Justice (CNJ) presented a draft resolution requiring children and adolescents to obtain a judicial permit before appearing in digital influencer content. The proposal calls for detailed information on remuneration, the nature of the activity, and creates a National Permit Database to track authorisations. It also bans erotic or humiliating content and advertising of products prohibited for minors.

Tests conducted after the Digital Child Statute (ECA Digital) took effect reveal that many platforms still allow under‑age users to bypass age‑verification safeguards. A six‑year‑old could register on Roblox, and adult sites such as Pornhub and RedTube relied only on self‑declaration of age. Companies including Meta and TikTok say they are strengthening AI‑based checks and may request ID documents when inconsistencies are detected, but the assessments indicate significant compliance gaps.

The developments highlight challenges in enforcing Brazil's new digital‑child protection framework and its impact on global social‑media and gaming services.