The São Paulo Regional Electoral Court (TRE-SP) granted an injunction on Friday (April 24) to remove social media content from state deputy Antonio Donato (PT-SP) for possible early electoral propaganda. The ruling targets two paid-boosted Facebook posts favorable to Fernando Haddad (PT) and critical of Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos). The reporting judge set a 24-hour removal deadline.
The TRE-SP ordered the removal of two contents posted on state deputy Antonio Donato's (PT-SP) Facebook. The injunction, issued by Judge Maria Cláudia Bedotti, deems the posts as early electoral propaganda, published before the legally allowed period starting August 15 of the election year.
The paid-boosted publications praise São Paulo gubernatorial pre-candidate Fernando Haddad (PT) and criticize Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos). One includes the phrase “we are going to win this election”, as noted by the judge. Bedotti stated that “the danger of harm arises from the very nature of early electoral propaganda in the digital environment, compromising the equality and parity of arms that must govern the electoral dispute”.
Republicanos, Tarcísio's party, requested the removal. Donato's press office said it had not been notified of the injunction but claimed the representation “shows that Tarcísio is scared, as he wants to censor a video commenting on the Atlas poll, in which Haddad appears close to him”.
The contents were posted on Easter Sunday in early April. In the video, Donato criticizes free-flow tolls, cites an FGV survey blaming Tarcísio, and references the AtlasIntel poll showing Haddad close to the governor.
