"Brazil Wants to Reshape The Internet for Kids. The Hard Part Just Began", 16 March 2026

...Under the law, platforms could face warnings and fines of up to $10 million for violations. In extreme cases, the companies may face suspensions and outright bans from the country, imposed by Brazilian courts.

The ECA Digital was passed in a lightning-fast vote last year, propelled by a wave of national outrage after an influencer named Felca exposed that a series of YouTube channels were profiting and racking up millions of views from sexualized videos of children. The case in the 30-minute video, which drew more than 52 million views, became a national scandal and drove the debate that led to the law's approval.

The ECA Digital law takes its name from Brazil's foundational child protection statute — the Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente — but has been adapted for the digital environment...

Beyond spelling out how provisions like those requiring companies to implement age-verification mechanisms will work in practice, the decree also goes a step further by defining key terms and effectively establishing new restrictions. It equates sexualized AI-generated images of children with pornography, requires that companies certify they have obtained judicial authorization to monetize content featuring minors and requires that platforms avoid features that drive compulsive use, such as those that mask instances when a user might stop using a product, that offer up new content unsolicited or that serve excessive notifications...

Brazil's experience could serve as a model for other countries that are currently discussing internet restrictions for children and teenagers...