JUE 28 DE MARZO DE 2024 - 10:26hs.
Minister Vital do Rêgo decision

TCU prohibits government to advertise on jogo do bicho websites and other illegal activities

The Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) of Brazil determined that the federal government should stop advertising on websites that are related to illegal activities, as is the case of those that publish results of the so-called “jogo do bicho”. Prosecutor pointed out signs of irregularities in the placement of advertising campaigns by the federal government, especially in those on pension reform, approved by Congress last year.

Minister Vital do Rêgo's decision responded to a request by the Public Prosecutor at TCU, Lucas Furtado. The attorney pointed out signs of irregularities in the placement of advertising campaigns by the federal government, especially in campaigns on pension reform, approved by Congress last year.

The investigation request cited a report by newspaper Folha de S. Paulo on May 9, which showed federal advertising on websites aimed at children, gambling and fake news.

Prosecutor Lucas Furtado stated that the facts constitute an affront to public administration principles foreseen in the Constitution, such as impersonality, legality and morality. In the decision, TCU Minister Vital do Rêgo said that the facts are extremely serious.

The minister stressed that the reports published in the press show that, based on a spreadsheet prepared by the Presidency's Communication Secretariat itself, several channels aimed essentially at children and youth, including one with content exclusively in Russian, broadcast hundreds of thousands of ads from the new Social Security campaign.

That the monetized placement on target audience channels completely unrelated to what is intended to communicate constitutes a flagrant waste of public resources. And that these platforms and communication channels do nothing to achieve the main objectives of advertising campaigns; characterizes inept realization of expenses, since the expenditure does not translate into any type of profit for the Union or for the community in general.

The minister also condemned advertisements on websites that spread fake news and illegal activities. He said that it is inconceivable that, in a poor country like Brazil, scarce public resources, part of which are destined for information campaigns by the federal government, are irrigating media that sponsor illegal activities or take advantage of them, as is the case with the website which publishes results of the so-called “jogo do bicho.”

In view of this, the minister determined that the government immediately suspend advertising campaigns that are paid for with public money in communication channels that are related to illegal activities or in which the target audience is not connected to the subject.

The government has 15 days to report how much has been spent on the ads and the names of those responsible. The Special Secretariat for Social Communication has informed that it will comply with TCU guidelines and determinations. The Secretariat informed that the process of broadcasting the pension reform campaign took place in a transparent manner and that there were no privileges, favors or personal promotion by any public authority. Secom also informed that it will notify the agency responsible for the campaign to immediately explain the communication process.

Source: GMB