CFJ Op-Ed: Brazil’s Digital Power Grab: Europe’s Regulatory Playbook Goes Global
- Ashley Baker
- 1 hour ago
- 1 min read
Committee for Justice Executive Director Ashley Baker has published a new op-ed in the Washington Examiner highlighting a troubling trend: Brazil is adopting European-style digital regulations that disproportionately target leading American technology companies. Framed as efforts to promote “fairness” and rein in “gatekeepers,” these policies closely mirror the European Union’s Digital Markets Act—extending its regulatory model far beyond Europe’s borders.
Protectionism Disguised as Competition Policy
As the piece explains, Brazil’s approach is less about protecting consumers and more about redistributing economic power. By imposing sweeping, ex ante rules on successful firms, regulators risk penalizing innovation while advantaging domestic or politically favored competitors. This precautionary regulatory model replaces dynamic competition with bureaucratic oversight—undermining the very entrepreneurial activity that drives growth in digital markets.
A Growing Threat to Global Innovation and Trade
The op-ed also underscores the broader geopolitical stakes. As countries replicate the EU’s approach, they contribute to a fragmented global digital economy defined by conflicting regulatory regimes. For the United States, this trend raises serious concerns about digital protectionism and the erosion of a level playing field for American innovators. If left unchecked, it could weaken cross-border commerce and strain transatlantic cooperation at a critical moment.
The Bottom Line
Brazil’s “digital power grab” is not an isolated development—it’s part of a broader shift toward heavy-handed regulation that risks stifling innovation worldwide. Policymakers should take note: exporting Europe’s regulatory model may come at a high cost to economic growth, technological progress, and global competitiveness.
