Lula seeks Bolsonaro's disqualification over alleged Meta interference

Key Points:

• Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's campaign has requested the disqualification of right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, alleging Meta's social media platforms interfered by limiting Lula's content to boost Bolsonaro's campaign.
• Bolsonaro responded by filing a petition to disqualify Lula, accusing him of mass dissemination of government posts on WhatsApp, escalating mutual accusations ahead of Sunday's presidential runoff.
• UN experts expressed concern over unequal access to Meta's platforms for each campaign, urging the company to ensure a level playing field during the election, citing incidents of account interruptions and content restrictions.
• Meta denied favoritism and pledged to comply with Brazilian court orders to treat both candidates equally, amidst ongoing complaints from both campaigns about social media manipulation.
• Lula seeks a fourth term after Bolsonaro narrowly led the first round on 4 October but failed to secure an outright win, with both campaigns now facing investigations for alleged abuse of economic power and social media misuse.