In the so-called era of “digital freedom,” Meta has been accused of censoring cannabis accounts left and right. According to data from Brazilian patient and activist organizations, nearly 50 profiles related to medical cannabis—including associations, doctors, influencers, and even the Marcha da Maconha (their annual Weed March) in several cities—were suspended in a single weekend, as reported by Brasil de Fato. Of course, without a reason.
Apparently, freedom of expression doesn’t extend to cannabis activists, whether they focus on agriculture or medicine. If there are no judicial reasons for so many account takedowns, why is Meta censoring cannabis content on such a massive scale?
After the chaos caused by the company’s actions, the Brazilian government decided to step in.
Minister Paulo Teixeira vs. Meta: ‘If the censorship comes from the company, I demand the immediate reactivation’
Paulo Teixeira, Brazil’s Minister of Agrarian Development and Family Farming, has become the loudest voice against the tech giant’s policies, regarded by critics as arbitrary. He’s made it clear that he disagrees with the way Meta—the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp—decides who gets to use its platforms, and who wakes up one day to find their account gone.
After being informed by Congressman Eduardo Suplicy about the deletion of dozens of accounts, Teixeira personally contacted Vanderlei Mariz, Meta’s Head of Public Policy in Brazil, demanding answers.
During a live broadcast, the minister was blunt: “If the censorship comes solely from Meta, I demand the immediate reactivation of these accounts. […] If these removals lack legal grounds, we will not hesitate to take legal action to protect them, since their absence harms countless Brazilian patients seeking essential information and therapeutic alternatives.”
According to the Agência Pública, Meta admitted that there was no court order …
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Author: Camila Berriex / High Times
