Fake profiles: how can the new law impact your brand?

Fake social media accounts may have their days numbered! Brazil is moving towards taking a decisive step against this type of practice: PL 675/2025 opens space to transform false digital identity into a crime.

It is a movement that represents both unprecedented protection and new challenges for Brazilian brands. If, on the one hand, the law creates tougher mechanisms against virtual attacks, on the other hand, it also requires increased attention to the digital strategies themselves.

Do you want to understand how this project could change the rules of the game? We have prepared a guide to explain everything about How can the new law impact your brand.

What does the law say?

According to the official website of the Federal Senate, Bill 675/2025 proposes to create the crime of “False digital identity” in the Criminal Code (new art. 171-B). The objective is to punish those who create, use, or maintain a false profile/identity on a digital medium in order to manipulate people, obtain unlawful advantage, or harm the honor, image, psychological integrity, or property of others.

The changes expected if the project does in fact amend the Brazilian Criminal Code:

• Base penalty of imprisonment for 1 to 5 years and a fine;
• Increase in sentence (1/3 to double) when: images, videos, or personal data of third parties are used without authorization; the agent simulates identity to maintain an emotional relationship (example: catfishing) or to induce an act of property disposal;
• Imprisonment of 4 to 8 years and fine if the crime is committed against a child, adolescent, the elderly, or disabled person; to obtain undue economic benefit or extortion; or with the disclosure/exposure of the victim's intimate content.

The text seeks, with these changes, Fill regulatory gap about fake profiles and strengthen investigation and accountability.

What are the impacts for brands?

The changes punish those who use digital identities illegally, but require more attention from companies in the way they protect themselves in the online environment:

Shield against image attacks

Second dice from Branddi, 60% of Brazilians would stop buying from a brand after she was involved in Digital scams, even if those brands are not directly responsible.

With the bill's approval of the fake profile, it will be more predictable for the law to hold those who use fake profiles to link companies to this type of internet crime responsible.

End of the fake reviews binge

Um study It shows that fake reviews generate an estimated loss of US$ 152 billion a year in global digital commerce. But in Brazil, these false reviews to tear down Note on marketplaces or reputations on social networks their days may be numbered.

With the criminalization of false identity on the internet, it is easier for brands to act against those who attempt to manipulate the perception of customers.

Reinforcing digital transparency

The approval of the project may pressure platforms and brands to adopt more transparency in their digital interactions. At the same time, it will require companies to review marketing practices for avoid any association with inauthentic profiles.

What are the damages caused by fake accounts?

By hiding behind false identities, scammers and haters have space to manipulate, deceive, and attack. See the main damages:

Defamation

Fake accounts can spread rumors, distorted news, or malicious comments that They tarnish the image of people and brands in minutes.

Organized boycotts

Inauthentic profile groups can inflate criticism, tear down reviews, and create artificial boycott campaigns for undermine credibility of companies.

Financial scams

Many fake profiles are used to impersonate companies or individuals, deceiving users in sweepstakes schemes, fake promotions, or requests for money.

Misuse of data

In addition to deceiving, fake profiles often collect personal information in a misleading way and pave the way for invasions of privacy and New scams.

What are good practices for monitoring and responding to digital incidents?

Even though Bill 675/2025 brings punishments for those who use fake profiles, the immediate responsibility to monitor and report abuses It continues to fall on companies.

1. Hunt for signs of incidents in real time

Monitoring can be structured on two fronts:

• Do social listening In real time with the use of tools that track mentions of the brand on social networks, forums, and news portals to identify abnormal peaks in citations that may indicate a coordinated attack;
• Treat digital incidents such as security risk, and then align marketing and IT for the early detection of attacks associated with the brand.

2. Respond quickly

For response management, our suggestion is to follow some internal protocols:

• Pre-established documents with approval flows, responsible for the area and standard messages for each type of incident (defamation, fake news, or scam);
• Use of verified official channels to publish the answers and reduce the risk of confusion or amplification of rumors.

3. Formalize complaints

The strategic response is only consolidated with official registration:

• Request removing profiles or harmful content based on the policies of each platform;
• Collect prints, URLs and logs with date/time for possible legal action or brand defense in legal disputes;
• Register Police reports and report police stations that specialize in cybercrime.

Despite the new legal provisions that may be created with the fake profiling law in Brazil, the first line of defense remains the company itself.

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