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The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, released a video, this Thursday, to deny false information about an alleged charge on Pix and other taxes that were not proposed by the government. Haddad stated that only the information that online gaming and betting (bets) will be taxed, “like any national company”, is true in the content circulating on social networks and messaging applications.
Tax on Pix is a lie, says Haddad/Photo: Cristiano Mariz/Agência O Globo
— Tax on Pix, lie. Tax on those who want to buy dollars, a lie. Tax on those who have pets, a lie — said the minister.
Haddad warned that they are circulating fake news with this information. According to him, this harms democracy. Covertly, Haddad was referring to rumors that instant transfer operations through Pix with amounts above R$5,000 would be taxed by the Federal Revenue Service. This rumor was spread based on the information that banks will have to inform the Tax Authorities of transactions with a sum above this limit (read more below).
— Guys, let’s pay attention. There is a circulating fake news which harms public debate and democracy. People don’t always have time to check information and, sometimes, they mix up something that is true, to confuse it with public opinion — he said.
The minister reinforced that taxes will be charged on bets.
— Other than that, it’s all fake. THE fake news it harms democracy and brings insecurity to people — he added.
Content removal
Earlier, the Attorney General’s Office (AGU) notified Facebook so that the platform could remove, within 24 hours, a video tampered with using artificial intelligence (AI) in which the Minister of Finance says things that were never said by him. The request was made one day after Meta, owner of the social network, relaxed its content moderation policy.
“The post, manipulated using artificial intelligence, contains fraudulent information and attributes to the minister non-existent statements about the creation of a tax on pets and prenatal care,” says the extrajudicial notification.
Also according to the AGU request, “the analysis of the material highlights the falsity of the information through sudden cuts, noticeable changes in lip movement and discrepancies in voice timbre, typical of content forged with the use of generative artificial intelligence.”
In the notification, the AGU argues that this is a disinformative video, as it shows facts that do not match reality, with the aim of “confusing the public about the position of the Minister of Finance on matters of public interest”.
According to the AGU, the nature of the posts goes against Facebook’s own Terms of Use, which prohibit the use of the platform for illegal purposes.
In addition to the fake video, Pix became a topic because the Federal Revenue increased its inspection of transactions above R$5,000 per month made by individuals. The measure has generated controversy and doubts about its operation. On social media, there was a spread of untrue news about the new IRS rule, which has been worrying the Central Bank.
With the new rules, credit card operating companies and payment institutions will be required to notify the Revenue of transactions totaling more than R$5,000 in the case of individuals. The limit for legal entities is R$15,000 per month.
