The Digital ECA, approved in March, is beginning to redesign not only how social networks and digital platforms deal with children and adolescents, but also the operational structure of e-commerce and the advertising market in Brazil. The update of the Child and Adolescent Statute for the virtual environment imposes a new level of regulatory requirements that affects marketplaces, online retailers, and companies operating in digital commerce, even those that do not have children as their direct target audience.
In practice, the most immediate impact is on how these platforms handle age verification and the protection of minors in consumer environments. The simple self-declaration of age, widely used until now in online purchases, is no longer sufficient in higher-risk situations, such as the sale of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, or restricted products. The new logic demands more robust verification mechanisms, forcing companies to restructure basic stages of the purchasing journey.
This movement also affects the architecture of platforms. Engagement features widely used in e-commerce and digital applications, such as infinite scrolling, persistent notifications, and reward systems, including game-inspired mechanics, are becoming restricted for minors. In some cases, this means not only adapting specific flows but also redesigning the entire user experience.
For the sector, the central challenge lies in implementing age verification mechanisms that are both reliable and scalable. Methods such as facial biometrics and document validation are beginning to gain traction, replacing self-declaration. However, this shift requires a balance between accuracy, user experience, and data protection, since the collected information cannot be stored permanently.
The ECA Digital also redefines the logic of digital advertising. Direct targeting of ads to children and adolescents is no longer permitted based on behavioral data, forcing brands to migrate from an individual segmentation logic to a strategy based on contexts and environments. This profoundly alters the efficiency of campaigns and reduces the predictability of the audiences reached.
For e-commerce, the combined effect of these changes is structural. The sector is now operating under a logic where conversion, engagement, and regulatory compliance must coexist within a more rigid system of user protection. "The central point is not just the adoption of new tools, but the paradigm shift in how digital platforms structure their product and communication decisions, especially when there is potential interaction with minors," he emphasizes. Hygor Roque, Head of Revenue da Divibank.
According to the implementation schedule, the National Data Protection Authority should conduct inspections gradually, with an initial phase focused on guidance and app stores and operating systems, before expanding its scope to other sectors of the digital ecosystem. The sanctions foreseen range from warnings to fines that can reach 10% of companies' revenue in Brazil, in addition to more severe measures in cases of repeated offenses.
