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New rules for social media and AI will come into effect next year.
Brazil is about to implement significant changes in the regulation of digital platforms and artificial intelligence aimed at protecting children and adolescents. Starting March 17, 2026, the Digital ECA (Statute of Children and Adolescents), a law sanctioned in September by President Lula, will come into effect, requiring platforms to add extra layers of security for minors.
New age ranges for access
The age rating guidelines have been updated and now establish clear recommendations: messaging apps will be recommended for ages 12 and up, social media for ages 16 and up, and AI chatbots for ages 13 and up. This change marks a significant shift—until last week, services like ChatGPT were only recommended for ages 16 and up.
The change came after warnings from the advisory committee of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), which pointed out that the previous restriction would limit the use of generative AI in schools practically to the final year of high school, harming educational initiatives.
Change in the classification process
Currently, companies like OpenAI and Google classify their own services. Starting November 17th, the new guidelines for traditional categories will come into effect, and on March 17th, 2026, the rules for interactivity will begin to apply. In this new scenario, it will be the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) — and not the platforms themselves — that will carry out the age rating classification, following a specific guide.
Mandatory age verification
One of the main requirements of the law is that websites and apps verify the age of all users. The goal is to identify children and teenagers within the general audience to prevent inappropriate interactions and ensure that each age group receives appropriate content.
This measure is part of a broader government effort to balance technological innovation with the protection of minors, recognizing that digital transformation must go hand in hand with social transformation.
Photo by zuzanka galczynska on Unsplash
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