Democracy, Social Media Regulation, and Judicial Activism: The Brazilian Case

This roundtable hosts a discussion on social media regulation and Judiciary branch activism in Brazil, especially in the aftermath of the January 8th 2023 violent protests in Brasilia, and ensuing escalation that recently led to a temporary ban of the X network in Brazil. It is a debate that lies at the heart of current controversies on the prospects of resisting autocratization in our increasing polarized societies, as many observers blame the new digital informational environment for current polarizing tendencies. The Brazilian case has attracted equally considerable praise and criticism, as the Judiciary branch has embraced a bold stance against participants and plotters of the January 8th events, as well as imposing strict measures over social media platforms. An opposite direction relatively to the US case, for instance.