The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) states that crimes and irregularities committed on digital platforms have demanded a volume of work that is sometimes greater than the agency’s capacity.
Speaking to the Valor portal, the institution’s president, Carlos Baigorri, stated that the diversification of practices combated by the body has required greater coordination.
According to him, integration with other federal government bodies is important. Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness in Congress and build an understanding within the Federal Supreme Court (STF).
However, Carlos Baigorri assessed that, despite the difficulties of daily combating abuses in the digital environment, the work done by Anatel has shown results. As an example, Baigorri cited Anatel’s most recent inspection effort against the online sale of uncertified cell phones.
According to him, the reduction in the sale of “pirate” cell phones results in increased competitiveness among manufacturers that sell approved equipment.
Anatel operates on several regulatory fronts
The agency also works to block websites or seize so-called TV Boxes. These devices release the signal from pay TV channels or streaming platforms. In addition, it blocks irregular online betting websites (sports betting). It also works to combat misinformation and “fake news” on social media through a partnership with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).
In the case of combating unregistered sportsbooks, the inspection action was not initiated by Anatel. The work is coordinated by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), of the Ministry of Finance, in accordance with the BET Law (14.790/23).
The agency’s inspection superintendent, Gesiléa Teles, said that, as of Thursday (12), 15,558 unlicensed betting sites had been blocked.
Baigorri also stated that the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry, which investigates irregularities in the sector (CPI das BETs), decided to incorporate the agency’s contribution to make the blocking measures more effective.
“The idea, incorporated into the bill (PL), is that equipment that assists in the operation of networks (DNS and CND) are also targeted by blocking operations.”
“We realized in the discussion about blocking Twitter [in 2024] that taking it offline through telecommunications networks alone has limitations,” he said.
