Lula supporters protest against Meta to denounce its 'electoral interference'

What happened

On Monday, about 200 people protested outside Meta's office in São Paulo. The group behind the protest is called «Não Se Meta». They want Meta, which is led by Mark Zuckerberg, to explain its actions. The protesters say Meta is reducing the reach of Lula's posts and boosting posts from Flávio Bolsonaro. Meta has denied any interference. The protest came six days before the election.

Key facts

• About 200 demonstrators joined the protest in São Paulo.
• The electoral court gave Meta 24 hours to prove it treats both campaigns equally.
• Protesters say 70% of Brazilians get their news from Instagram.
• Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Why people are upset

Both Lula and Jair Bolsonaro's side have filed complaints with the electoral court. They say their political posts are treated unfairly on Meta's apps. Meta is a very large tech company. Its apps are used by many people to read news and talk about politics. Some activists also call this a kind of 'digital colonialism', meaning a foreign company controlling how a country talks about its own elections.

Why it matters

Social media can shape what voters see before an election. If people believe a company is playing favorites, they may lose trust in the vote. The case also raises a bigger question: who should control the online places where citizens debate politics? Brazil's courts are now checking how Meta handles this.

What to watch

• How Meta answers the electoral court within the 24-hour deadline.
• Whether the court finds that Meta treated the two campaigns unequally.
• Whether more protests happen before the election.
• Whether Lula and Bolsonaro's complaints lead to changes in how Meta shows political posts.