🫠 No-show

Good morning! The US dollar exchange rate ended Wednesday below the BRL 6 mark (at BRL 5.95) for the first time since early December. But many economists believe that the current levels may be the “new normal” for Brazil’s currency. 

Big Tech gives government the cold shoulder

Brazil’s Solicitor General Jorge Messias on Wednesday convened a hearing to explore strategies for combating online disinformation, a growing concern for the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration. The meeting, however, was notable for those who did not attend: Meta, X, Alphabet, Discord, LinkedIn, Kwai and TikTok all declined invitations to participate. 

• The solicitor general expressed his disappointment, emphasizing the need for “honest, direct and transparent” dialogue on social media.

👉 Why it matters. The Brazilian government has been battered by disinformation campaigns on social media, which have fueled public backlash against key policies and dented its popularity. Yet officials are increasingly resigned to the challenge of reining in falsehoods online, hampered by political opposition from conservatives.

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