Country · South America
Brazil: cyberbullying law for schools
Bottom line for counselors: Schools must have anti-bullying rules, and those rules cover online bullying. A regulator can order harmful posts taken down. Serious online abuse can be a crime.
Last verified: checked against official sources on 11 November 2026.
Country
Brazil
New 17 March 2026: Brazil: the ECA Digital requires under-16 social media accounts to be linked to a parent
A national anti-bullying programme since 2015, cyberbullying a crime since 2024, a phone ban in schools and new under-16 social media rules.
Compare with anywhere elseProtection score
One point for each of the seven questions answered yes, half a point for partly. Where a rule is set nationally, the national answer counts. A quick guide, not a legal rating.
- Yes:
Do schools have to have anti-bullying rules?
Yes. Law 13.185 (2015) created the national Programme to Combat Systematic Intimidation (Bullying), and every school must take steps to prevent and combat it.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 13.185/2015 makes prevention a duty of schools, clubs and recreational associations. Lei 13.663/2018 added the duty to the national education law (LDB, article 12), and Lei 14.811/2024 set further measures against violence in schools. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Migalhas) as well as official sources.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. The 2015 law defines cyberbullying as using online tools to belittle someone, incite violence or tamper with photos and personal data.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 13.185/2015, article 2, sole paragraph.
- Yes:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
Yes. The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), now a regulatory agency, enforces the ECA Digital's duties on platforms to protect children.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 15.352/2026 turned the ANPD into a regulatory agency. Fines under the ECA Digital can reach R$50 million. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Canaltech), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Yes:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
Yes. Since 17 March 2026, under the ECA Digital, children under 12 cannot open social media accounts, and accounts for users under 16 must be linked to a parent or guardian.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 15.211/2025, the Estatuto Digital da Criança e do Adolescente. Platforms must use reliable age checks; self-declared ages are not enough. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Congresso em Foco and Canaltech) as well as official sources.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Yes. Since January 2025, Law 15.100 bars students from using phones and other personal devices in class, at recess and during breaks, in public and private schools.
Legal detail and sources
Exceptions cover teaching use, accessibility, health and emergencies.
- Yes:
When is online abuse a crime?
Yes. Since January 2024, bullying is a crime punishable by a fine, and cyberbullying carries 2 to 4 years in prison and a fine.
Legal detail and sources
Penal Code article 146-A, added by Lei 14.811/2024. Young people under 18 are dealt with under the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA).
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. The 2015 law calls for training teachers and school teams to prevent and deal with bullying.
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