The proposed law 84/99, which the Brazilian legislature is treating as urgent, would significantly limit the freedom of Internet users and threaten their privacy, warned the Brazilian Institute for Consumer Defense.
Proposed by Congressman Eduardo Azeredo, the initiative would specify penalties for Internet crimes. But according to the Institute, the bill would criminalize common, everyday behaviors of online consumers, such as file sharing, transfering a CD to a computer.
Computer users and activists opposed to the bill have termed it the “AI-5 digital," a reference to the measure that limited civil rights during Brazil's military dictatorship. In a public hearing held July 13, most experts present criticized the proposal, according to the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo.
A campaign in opposition to the bill has been launched, joining forces with another similar campaign “Mega No”. Further, on July 28, Congressman diputado Emiliano José gave the Science and Technology Commission of the lower chamber of Congress a petition against the bill with 163,000 signatures, reported the Observatory of the Right to Communication.
