Defending Brazil's Marco Civil: Why Article 19 Matters

In a new op-ed, Internet Society CEO Sally Wentworth and ISOC Brasil President Flávio Rech Wagner warn against weakening Article 19 of Brazil's Marco Civil da Internet. They urge the Brazilian Supreme Court to strengthen, rather than destabilize, Brazil's critical Internet ecosystem.

Article 19's requirement for a court order before mandatory content removal is highlighted as crucial. This framework, resulting from broad democratic debate, was designed to prevent arbitrary censorship and carefully balance protection against harmful content with the free flow of information online.

The authors emphasize that weakening Article 19 isn't just about social media platforms; it threatens the stability and legal security of the entire Internet infrastructure. This provision provides essential legal security for all components of the digital ecosystem, and removing it could lead to significant instability and increased censorship risks.

Read their full analysis on why preserving Article 19 is vital here (link in Portuguese).