On September 17, 2025, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the country’s first law dedicated to protecting children’s rights online. Known as ECA Digital, the legislation updates Brazil’s 1990 Statute of the Child and Adolescent to address the digital environment, ensuring that technology companies design products with children’s best interests, privacy, and safety in mind by default. Human Rights Watch hailed the move as a significant step in safeguarding children’s ability to learn, explore, and play safely online.
The law expands upon existing protections under Brazil’s General Personal Data Protection Law, which were previously insufficient. Among its strongest provisions, ECA Digital prohibits online services from using children’s personal data in ways that violate their privacy or other legally guaranteed rights. This provision responds directly to past investigations revealing that Brazilian children’s personal photos were used to create abusive AI-generated deepfakes. Another key safeguard bans behavioral advertising targeted at children, preventing companies from tracking their online behavior to manipulate preferences or interests.
ECA Digital reflects broad political support, having been introduced in 2022, passed unanimously by the Senate in November 2024, approved by the Chamber of Deputies in August 2025, and finalized in the Senate a week later despite intense opposition from tech companies. Industry lobbying weakened some proposals, including a ban on “loot boxes” in video games, but this ban was ultimately reinstated in the final version of the law, ensuring that children are protected from potentially exploitative in-game purchases.
The law will take effect in March 2026 and will be enforced by Brazil’s data protection authority. Non-compliant companies could face fines of up to 50 million Brazilian reais (approximately US$9.44 million), or up to 10 percent of their revenue in Brazil, along with potential suspension or bans for severe violations. Human Rights Watch emphasized that the effectiveness of the law will depend on strong enforcement, meaningful consultation with children, and continued government efforts to strengthen data protections for all Brazilians.
By passing ECA Digital, Brazil becomes the first country in Latin America to enact a dedicated law to protect children’s privacy and safety online. Experts urge other governments to observe Brazil’s example and implement similar legislation to safeguard young internet users globally.
