Public note on TCU's decision in favor of NetLab UFRJ
- erickdau
- Mar 28
- 2 min read
Yesterday, March 27, Estadão published an article about the decision of March 18 by the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU), which determined not to proceed with the representation of members of the Partido Novo party against NetLab UFRJ. We are surprised that the newspaper did not contact us to talk about the case. Below is an excerpt from Ruling No. 1933/2025, which unanimously decided not to recognize the representation:
“The Ministers of the Federal Court of Auditors, meeting in a session of the First Chamber, unanimously decide, pursuant to Articles 143, III, and 237, sole paragraph, of the Internal Regulations, regarding the process listed below, not to acknowledge the representation [...]” .
The ruling also recommends that UFRJ adopt measures, if they do not already exist, to demonstrate compliance with the purpose of the donations, as well as control mechanisms to ensure the execution of what is established in the donation letters, as a way of safeguarding the University. It is worth mentioning that we have always made available on our website the documents related to public and private financing destined to NetLab UFRJ.
All reports and research produced by the Laboratory since its creation are also available free of charge. Therefore, there is no change in our transparency policy. The supposed celebration of the parliamentarians with the latest decision by the TCU is an attempt to mask the third defeat, all unanimous, that they suffered in the Court in lawsuits filed against NetLab UFRJ.
The newspaper also mentions the investigation opened by the TCU in 2024, already archived, on the financing of the Ministry of Justice to NetLab UFRJ. The Court, which was called upon by the same members of Congress, investigated, collected statements and examined documents and unanimously concluded that the complaint was unfounded.
NetLab UFRJ has been tirelessly dedicating itself to denouncing the use of social media to scam Brazilian consumers. Our most recent studies have shown a worrying increase in this type of crime in Brazil. We are once again shocked to witness the persistence of certain members of Congress in trying to silence the Laboratory, even in the face of categorical opinions from institutions of indisputable integrity, such as the TCU, which endorse our work.
The TCU's third decision in favor of NetLab UFRJ only reinforces the integrity, ethics and seriousness of this Laboratory. In this sense, we salute the good functioning of Brazilian institutions and the robustness of our Democratic State of Law. NetLab has an uncompromising commitment to transparency, the fight against disinformation and the defense of democracy.