Brazil launches landmark child-safety framework for the digital age

The Brazilian Government has taken a new step to strengthen the protection of children and adolescents online. On Tuesday (March 17), decrees regulating the Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Law No. 15,211/2025) entered into force, establishing rules for digital platforms, online services, and app developers operating in the country.

The regulation introduces unprecedented protection mechanisms in Brazil’s digital ecosystem, with requirements focused on the safety, privacy, and well-being of users under 18. The measures include more reliable age verification systems, restrictions on design practices that encourage compulsive screen use, and new obligations for technology companies to combat digital crimes.

“We are putting into effect one of the most advanced laws in the world for the protection of children and adolescents in the digital environment,” President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared during the decree-signing ceremony, held at the Planalto Palace in Brasília on Wednesday (March 18).

“This is a law that will ensure the safety of children and adolescents online and give Brazilian families peace of mind. We also want young people to be able to benefit from the best the internet has to offer, but with all the protection they still need,” Lula added.

REAL VERIFICATION. One of the key points of the new legislation is the requirement for platforms to gradually implement robust age verification systems, replacing mechanisms based solely on user self-declaration. The goal is to prevent children and adolescents from accessing content and services inappropriate for their age group, such as pornography, gambling, or prohibited products.

The legislation also requires digital service companies to report and immediately remove content indicating sexual exploitation, grooming, or other forms of violence against children and adolescents identified on their platforms.

NO MANIPULATIVE DESIGN. The regulation also bans so-called manipulative design practices in digital services aimed at or accessible to children and adolescents, such as mechanisms designed to encourage compulsive app use or make it difficult to close accounts and change privacy settings.

The new framework establishes that the protection of children and adolescents must be embedded from the design stage of digital products, influencing everything from platform design to moderation and security mechanisms.

In the case of video games, the decree establishes that features known as “loot boxes” cannot be offered to users under 18 in versions aimed at children and adolescents, as they exhibit characteristics similar to gambling.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. In addition to direct protection measures, the regulation reinforces the idea of shared responsibility among the State, families, and technology companies in creating a safer digital environment.

The new legislation also introduces specific rules for parental supervision in the digital environment. Accounts of users under 16 must be linked to their legal guardians’ accounts, allowing closer monitoring of online activities and promoting safer and more responsible use of digital platforms.

Another key point is the requirement for companies operating digital services in Brazil to maintain a legal representative in the country. The measure aims to ensure more effective enforcement of the law, facilitating communication with Brazilian authorities and compliance with mandates related to the protection of children and adolescents.

In his speech, the President cited a report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which indicates that one in five Brazilian children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 has been victims of sexual exploitation or abuse in the digital environment.

“This outrage must be fought with full effectiveness, and this is in no way incompatible with respect for privacy. We will not fall into the idea that freedom cannot coexist with protection. Just as we do not leave children alone in the neighborhood playground at night, we need to take care of the environments our children frequent online,” President Lula said.

PROTECTION CENTER. To strengthen the State’s response to these crimes, one of the decrees establishes the National Center for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, linked to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, operated by the Federal Police. The agency will serve as a focal point for receiving reports submitted by digital platforms and coordinating investigations with law enforcement authorities.

Another decree strengthens the role of the National Data Protection Authority [Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados /ANPD], which will be responsible for regulating technical aspects of the law, overseeing its enforcement, and ensuring that the solutions implemented comply with the principles of the General Data Protection Law [Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados /LGPD].

In the field of science and technology, the Brazilian government also announced a BRL 100 million fund calling from the Studies and Projects Financing Agency [Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos /Finep], linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, to support the development of technological solutions and AI-based applications aimed at protecting children and adolescents in the digital environment.

The Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents, the result of extensive debate in the National Congress and participation from civil society organizations, experts, and technology sector representatives, aims to adapt legal protections for children and adolescents to the transformations of today’s digital ecosystem.