São Paulo Judge Orders Meta to Remove 14 Posts Linking Employment to Voting
A labor judge in São Paulo has issued an injunction ordering Meta Platforms Inc. to remove 14 specific posts from its social media platforms that urged employers to spy on, expose, or fire workers based on their political voting preferences. The order, delivered by Judge Bruno José Perusso of the 77th Labor Court of São Paulo, mandates the removal of the identified web addresses within 24 hours of notice.
The injunction was granted on Thursday, 29 October 2026, following Brazil’s presidential runoff election held on 25 October 2026. The legal action stems from a public civil lawsuit filed by the federal labor prosecutor’s office (MPT), as reported by the Regional Labor Court of the Second Region (TRT-2). The court found that the content in question violated Brazilian labor laws and constitutional protections regarding political expression and employment rights.
Strict Penalties for Non-Compliance
The financial stakes for Meta are significant if it fails to adhere to the judge’s directives. The company faces daily fines of R$50,000 (US$9,223) for each post that remains online after the 24-hour deadline has passed. These penalties accumulate for every day of non-compliance until the identified web addresses are taken down.
In addition to removing the specific content, Meta is required to implement a broader warning system across its Brazilian user base. The company must display a notice on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads within 72 hours of the order. This notice will inform users that Brazilian law prohibits discrimination and electoral harassment in the workplace. The warning must remain visible for five consecutive days.
Failure to display this mandatory warning notice carries its own penalty: a fine of R$200,000 (US$36,892). These measures are designed not only to remove harmful content but also to educate users and employers about the legal boundaries of political activity in professional settings.
Preservation of Evidence and Technical Records
The court has also imposed obligations on Meta regarding the preservation of data. According to reports from Agência Brasil and g1, the company must preserve all removed material and technical records until the conclusion of the case. This requirement ensures that evidence remains available for further legal proceedings or audits related to the public civil action.
When contacted regarding the order, Meta told g1 that it would not comment on the case. The company’s silence does not exempt it from the immediate obligations set by the 77th Labor Court of São Paulo.
Judge Limits Scope to Protect Free Expression
While the injunction is strict regarding specific posts, Judge Perusso refused broader requests made by the federal labor prosecutor’s office. The MPT had sought general monitoring powers without specific web addresses and the preventive shutdown of entire profiles. The judge denied these expansive measures, citing the need to protect free thought and political expression.
The ruling draws a clear line between prohibited conduct and protected speech. While the court prohibits the encouragement of unlawful practices such as workplace discrimination based on voting, it maintains that general political discussion remains protected. This distinction prevents the order from becoming a tool for broad censorship while addressing specific instances of electoral harassment.
Legal Context: Employment and Political Rights
The case highlights ongoing tensions between employer authority and employee rights in Brazil’s political landscape. Brazilian labor law explicitly forbids employers from dismissing workers for exclusively political reasons, a protection enshrined in the Constitution. While employers retain the right to dismiss workers without cause under certain conditions, this power cannot be used as a mechanism to punish workers for their political preferences.
Agência Brasil has noted that the possibility of dismissal without cause does not grant employers license to penalize staff for their political alignment. The injunction serves as a reminder that while political participation is a fundamental right, leveraging employment relationships to influence or punish voting behavior constitutes a violation of labor standards and democratic principles.
The 14 posts targeted by the order were identified as direct incitements to workplace surveillance and retaliation. By forcing their removal and mandating public warnings, the court aims to deter similar content from influencing the post-election environment in Brazil’s corporate sector.