Event | Data Privacy Brazil participates in the InteLA 2026 event in Porto Alegre |

Data Privacy Brazil participates in the InteLA 2026 event in Porto Alegre

By Vinícius Fernandes

The Latin American Forum on Intelligence Studies (inteLA 2026) marked a significant moment for the consolidation of a still nascent field in the region: the structured debate on intelligence and democracy. Held on March 25th and 26th in Porto Alegre, the meeting brought together academia, the public sector, and civil society with the goal of addressing a historical gap in Latin America: the absence of continuous and qualified spaces to discuss the control, governance, and limits of intelligence activities. Over two days, it became evident that technological advancement has expanded the intrusive capabilities of the State at a much faster pace than the development of democratic control mechanisms, making this debate not only relevant but urgent.

The work developed by Legiscraft occupied a central place at the event. The presentation of the white paper and the draft bill on intelligence control, carried out in the panel dedicated to the architecture of an effective system, synthesized a consistent effort to translate academic and institutional diagnoses into concrete normative proposals. The initiative stood out for proposing a comprehensive reconfiguration of the control system, combining parliamentary, judicial, technical and social mechanisms, and seeking to overcome the fragmented model currently in force in Brazil. This is a contribution that not only organizes the debate, but offers operational paths for a reform agenda that has long been necessary.

The performance of Data Privacy Brasil throughout the draft bill review process was equally relevant. The organization contributed with a critical reading focused on the protection of personal data, informational power asymmetries and the risks of abusive surveillance, especially in light of recent Brazilian experience. This review sought to challenge the text beyond a strictly institutional approach, incorporating concerns about proportionality, purpose, transparency and effective democratic control. In particular, the need to avoid exception zones in the use of intelligence technologies and to ensure that regulation not only organizes state competences, but also protects fundamental rights in a concrete and verifiable way, was highlighted.

This contribution also unfolded in Data Privacy Brazil’s participation in the project presentation panel, where critical questions were raised about the limits of the proposed model. Topics such as the risk of political instrumentalization of intelligence, the need to strengthen the rights of individuals potentially affected by surveillance practices, and the indispensable role of civil society in democratic control, not only as an observer, but as an active agent in the production of accountability, were discussed. Data Privacy Brazil’s research trajectory on digital surveillance and spywares contributes to enriching the debate by demonstrating that intelligence control cannot be considered in isolation from the technological dynamics that significantly expand the State’s monitoring potential.