CONSUMER HARASSMENT IN CYBERSPACE: THE INFLUENCE OF EXCESSIVE GAMBLING ADVERTISING ON INSTAGRAM AND ITS LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

This paper analyzes consumer harassment in cyberspace, focusing on the aggressive advertising of gambling on digital platforms, particularly Instagram. The topic is justified by the growing exposure of consumers to invasive marketing practices that compromise their freedom of choice and increase social, technical, and psychological vulnerabilities. The main objective is to examine how the excessive advertising of gambling in digital environments may constitute consumer harassment and to identify its legal implications under Brazilian law. The research follows a qualitative, bibliographic and inductive methodology, based on legal doctrine, legislation, case law, and recent academic studies on consumer law and digital advertising. The results indicate that, although Brazilian legislation, especially the Consumer Protection Code, establishes important consumer safeguards, significant gaps remain in the regulation of online advertising and the monitoring of abusive practices on sociais networks. In contrast, countries such as the United Kingdom and Portugal already adopt more effective mechanisms, including time restrictions, mandatory warnings, and strong oversight by regulatory bodies, demonstrating the need to improve the Brazilian model. The study concludes that consumer harassment in cyberspace is a complex phenomenon that requires an interdisciplinary legal response centered on prevention, education, and platform accountability.