President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s (PT) team defends opening discussions on expanding internet access and lowering prices for communication services.
Members of the transition office’s communications working group also say that taxation on large technology companies could be changed.
For former federal deputy Jorge Bittar (PT), one of the coordinators of this group, “it is very likely” that some type of subsidy will be granted to make the internet more accessible. He advocated “universalizing” access to the network in Brazil.
“That’s why there’s Fust [Fundo de Universalização dos Serviços de Telecomunicações]🇧🇷 We will evaluate this thing very carefully,” he told the press on Monday (14).
Former Minister of Communications Paulo Bernardo, also a member of the transition, said that the future government may discuss whether there is an imbalance in the charge made to different technology companies.
“You hire a TV plan, there’s a hell of a tax. The company has to put in infrastructure, then Netflix comes in and goes through the same infrastructure and doesn’t pay anything. I think this will have to be thought about,” he said.
The former minister stated that the working group should not point out “solutions” on these issues. “But we can point out ways.”
This group has the task of carrying out a survey on the work being carried out by the Ministry of Communications.
The team dealing with communications in the transitional government also met on Monday with the president of Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency), Carlos Baigorri, according to Bernardo.
Jorge Bittar said that the government can still provide technological support equipment for children in schools, such as computers and tablets.
“This is absolutely fundamental and we can judiciously, starting, for example, with schools, with children enrolled and thus gradually extending this right to universal internet access to the entire population,” Bittar said.
Former minister Paulo Bernardo stated that the government has to create public policies to reduce the price of telecommunication services. He cited that the “taxes are too high”.
Bernardo also said that Europe began to charge higher taxes from large technology companies. “I think we have to evaluate here in Brazil”.
The former minister also indicated that the future government should evaluate new rules to combat fake news. He cited the example of the elections when he stated that it is necessary to “discuss the issue of large technology companies”.
“One face that was very visible was in the election. Certainly, if you call the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) and talk to technicians or Alexandre de Moraes, we will hear many suggestions on how this could be dealt with”, he said.
The court toughened punishments to platforms on the grounds of fighting fake news during the election. Moraes also defends changes in the legislation to increase the responsibility of companies for the contents disseminated on the networks.
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