London — The Brazilian government has issued an extrajudicial notice to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, demanding an explanation for its decision to discontinue its data verification program. The Attorney General’s Office has given Meta 72 hours to respond, according to the Anadolu News Agency.

The government emphasized Brazil’s strict legislation to protect vulnerable populations and prevent social media platforms from becoming hubs for disinformation and hate speech. “We will not allow these networks to turn the environment into digital carnage or barbarism,” the government stated.

The notice also called for the removal of an AI-generated video posted on Thursday that falsely attributed comments to Finance Minister Fernando Haddad about a tax on pets and prenatal animals. Authorities flagged the video as spreading fraudulent information.

Meta recently announced it would replace its traditional fact-checking program with a “community notes” feature, similar to the system used by X (formerly Twitter). Brazilian officials warned Meta to align its practices with the country’s 1988 Constitution and other laws protecting fundamental rights.

This move is part of Brazil’s broader crackdown on social media platforms accused of facilitating the spread of harmful content. In the past, authorities have taken legal action against platforms like TikTok and X, even temporarily suspending their services in the country.