Lula’s Government Secretary Reveals All About ECA Digital Law, Felca, to Meteoro Brazil

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Joao Brant has served as the Secretary of Digital Policies at SECOM (Social Communication Secretariat) since the first year of President Lula’s government. He holds a doctorate in Political Science from the University of Sao Paulo and a master’s degree in Communication Regulation and Policy from the London School of Economics (LSE). Brant previously served as Executive Secretary at the Ministry of Culture from 2015 to 2016. He is also an investigator and consultant in communication, internet, and culture policies, with services provided to UNESCO, PNUD, the Ford Foundation, Global Partners, and Observacom, among others. In addition, Brant served as Director of the Cultura e Democracia Institute and coordinated the Desinformante project. He also participated in the Transition Group focused on Public and Institutional Communication. Lei Felca, also known as the ECA Digital Law (Law 15.211/2025), Brazil’s new digital child protection law, was approved in September 2025 and is set to take full effect on March 17, 2026. This law requires platforms to implement age verification methods, provide parental control tools, and adhere to specific legal guidelines. Companies like Riot Games have already begun adjusting their platforms to comply with Lei Felca’s requirements for how minors access their products.

The political debate surrounding Lei Felca centers on concerns about potential state surveillance and content restrictions. A false rumor circulating on social media claims that Lei Felca allows biological mothers to prevent stepparents from sharing photos of their stepchildren. However, this interpretation is not supported by the law. Lei Felca reinforces and modernizes protections for children and adolescents in Brazil, building upon existing laws like the ECA of 1990 (Law 8.069), the Constitution, the Civil Code, and the LGPD. The law mandates that platforms proactively remove and block content that violates these protections, but it does not grant new powers to individual family members. Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends (LoL) and Teamfight Tactics, has announced plans to introduce new safety measures, including parental controls and game recategorization. The law also aims to ban loot boxes (surprise reward items), particularly in games designed for or played by children. Enforcement will be expedited in cases involving non-compliance. NewsAnyway.com reports that Lei Felca addresses parental controls and stricter age verification processes.

Lei Felca’s Private Sector Compliance Challenges and Room for Review amidst New Age Verification Requirements

In a March 19, 2026, interview with Poder360, Secretary Brant stated that Lei Felca has significant support from the private sector, though some technology companies have indicated they may struggle to comply with the age verification requirements. He emphasized that the immediate focus is on compliance with the new legislation, and that there will be opportunities for review if unintended consequences arise. Brant also discussed the law in an interview with Meteoro Reporter on Meteoro Brazil, a popular left-leaning YouTube channel. He emphasized that the current moment is one of compliance with new legislation and if something contrary to the proposed intent is identified, there will be room for review.