EXCLUSIVE: City Councillor in São Paulo’s Interior Approves in First Vote Bill Inspired by the ECA Digital, Lei Felca

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By Pedro Zambarda, Chief Editor. Councilwoman Anna Beatriz Scachetti (Republicanos) approved the first turn of voting for Bill 069 of 2025 in Serra Negra, located in the Paulista Waters Circuit of São Paulo’s interior. Following this initial approval, the bill will proceed to a second vote. If successful, it will then be sent to Mayor Elmir Chedid (Uniao Brasil) for sanction. This legislation aims to institute measures for the prevention, confrontation, and awareness of pedophilia and child sexualization in digital environments, among other provisions. The proposed law, officially known as the ECA Digital Law, is a new regulation in Brazil designed to safeguard children and adolescents from harmful content and exploitation on digital platforms. The impetus for this legislation began with a YouTube video by Felipe Bressanim, known as Felca, which exposed how minors were being treated as adults on social media. The law mandates several key requirements for digital platforms: They must verify users’ ages, potentially utilizing facial recognition technology. The inappropriate sharing of content in online games and chats will be blocked. Targeted advertising and sales directed at minors are prohibited.

Artificial rewards that exploit the fear of missing out (FOMO) or encourage excessive spending are also banned. Furthermore, the ECA Digital Law provides parents with enhanced capabilities to monitor their children’s online activities and take legal action against platforms that fail to offer adequate protection. Schools are now tasked with educating students on digital citizenship, privacy, and ethical online behavior. The effectiveness of this legislation hinges on its successful implementation in daily life, educational settings, and judicial proceedings, ultimately establishing a framework for holding digital platforms accountable for protecting children’s rights. The law is widely referred to as “Lei Felca,” named after Felipe Bressanim’s video that catalyzed the movement against the adultization of minors on social media. The full title of the law is the Estatuto Digital da Criança e do Adolescente. Bill PL 2.628/2022 was initially presented in 2022 by Senator Alessandro Vieira (MDB-SE). After Felca’s denunciations brought the issue to greater public attention, the bill gained traction and advanced through Congress. It was approved and enacted into law at the end of 2025, with an effective date of March 17, 2026. Unfortunately, “Lei Felca” has been a frequent target of misinformation on social media.

The law draws inspiration from the ECA Digital, also known as “Lei Felca,” which was sanctioned by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in 2026. The bill states its purpose: “The Present Bill seeks to Institute Concrete and Permanent Measures of Prevention and Facing Crimes of Pedophilia and Infantil Sexualization in the Municipality of Serra Negra-SP, in accordance with Article 227 of the Federal Constitution and with the Child and Adolescent Statute (Federal Law No. 8.069/1990), which Establish the Principle of Integral Protection to Children and Adolescents.”

Strengthening Child Protection: Municipalities Embrace ECA Digital Strategy Against Pedophilia and Sexualization

Pedophilia and the premature sexualization of children pose serious threats to their physical, psychological, and moral integrity, constituting criminal acts that demand a rapid, structured, and permanent response from public authorities. Data from the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship indicates that in 2024, the Disque 100 hotline received over 180,000 reports of violence against children and adolescents, with a significant portion related to sexual violence. Early exposure to sexual content detrimentally affects emotional development, compromises school performance, increases vulnerability to abusers, and negatively impacts mental health. In this context, municipalities play a strategic role in coordinating prevention actions, awareness campaigns, and capacity building, involving the school community, families, religious entities, community associations, public security organs, and guardianship councils. The successful voting of this legislative project demonstrates the commendable work of then-Minister Macae Evaristo of Human Rights under the Lula government, who prioritized the ECA Digital as one of her main achievements. She previously elaborated on the project’s details in an interview with this publication. This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Portal Uai.