For those unfamiliar with Brazil’s influencer landscape, the name “Felca” might not ring a bell. But 27-year-old Felipe Bressanim – better known as Felca – is one of the country’s most prominent YouTubers, boasting over 5 million subscribers and a further 11.6 million followers on Instagram.

His popularity skyrocketed on 6 August, after he released a video denouncing the exploitation of minors in online content creation. Assembling a collage of content from widely followed Brazilian accounts, Felca exposed cases where children were portrayed in a sexualised manner in pursuit of easy monetisation and social media validation. One of the individuals targeted was influencer Hytalo Santos, whose Instagram account with millions of followers was deactivated nationwide by Meta on Friday, 8 August.

“Felca stirred up a hornet’s nest and touched on one of the internet’s most sensitive issues: the adultification of young people and its damaging consequences. Children becoming adults before their time. Many people didn’t have the courage to speak out, especially since it involves major internet personalities like Hytalo Santos,” said Mari Perzi, a publicist with a postgraduate degree in international trade. “This influencer (Santos) had the brilliant idea of gathering young people in his home for a sort of Big Brother-style setup, where children were eliminated.”

Felca’s video, titled Adultização (“Adultification”), quickly went viral, racking up over 26 million views within days. Meta subsequently suspended the accounts of several individuals featured in the 48-minute exposé, including controversial creators Kamylinha, Boca de 09, and Isabel Veloso.

The video is structured in phases. First, Felca highlights how parents and guardians subject their children to humiliating situations for the sake of views. He then delves into the adultification of minors – children teaching investment strategies, discussing politics, and parroting influencer “mindsets” – which he sees as a gateway to more troubling behaviour.

Using real footage available online, Felca showed how 17-year-old Kamyla has been exposed by adults for years. Some clips even depict her naked, alongside other minors, being watched by adults in suggestive scenes. Felca claims Kamyla’s behaviour has been shaped by Hytalo Santos’ content, influencing other children and teens who consume social media in Brazil.

“Kamyla entered Hytalo’s circle when she was 12 and remains there at 17. She spent her entire pre-adolescence and adolescence in that environment. Hytalo gradually realised that the more he showcased Kamyla – in every sense – the more engagement he would receive,” Felca says in the video. “The bigger issue here, beyond the fact that they are teenagers without fully developed prefrontal lobes and no understanding of relationships or consequences, is that Hytalo’s audience includes teenagers who watch to see reality and are influenced by it. There are also mothers who follow for various reasons. But among his followers are adult men – and let me tell you something, those men are not watching for the fun dynamics.”

Beyond criticising adults who exploit children online and the tech giants that have the tools to curb such content but fail to act swiftly, Felca’s video also features a psychologist who explains the long-term psychological effects of abuse on children and adolescents.

Media experts and internet users have since pointed out how social media algorithms help controversial content reach millions.

“In the video, Felca goes far beyond the case of Hytalo Santos. He exposes how algorithms can deliver a child’s video to paedophiles within minutes, revealing the entire mechanism of online child sexual exploitation and how these platforms profit from it. It’s a powerful, non-partisan report made with respect and responsibility. We must open our eyes and demand accountability from those truly in control: the big tech companies,” said internet user Iana Profeta.

“He was brave to make this denunciation, but unfortunately it’s just the tip of the iceberg. What about influencer parents who expose their children online for followers? Hopefully this project will address the full scope of the problem,” added clinical psychologist Polianna de Morais, a specialist in cognitive behavioural therapy.

A Controversial Content Machine

Since 2024, Hytalo Santos has been under investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Paraíba, northeastern Brazil, for possible exploitation of minors in content production. Santos rose to fame by sharing his home life on TikTok – but his household is far from typical. His constantly crowded home includes people of all ages, a large part of them minors. He posts dance videos featuring girls he calls “daughters” and boys he refers to as “sons-in-law.” On Instagram, he has over 12 million followers; on YouTube, more than 5 million.

Politicians Jump on the Viral Bandwagon

If nothing else, Felca’s video managed to unite opposing political sides in Brazil.

Since its release, several politicians have publicly praised the YouTuber and seized the opportunity to align themselves with the viral moment.

In northeastern Brazil, Thabatta Pimenta, a councilwoman in Natal affiliated with the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), has proposed a bill in the city council to combat cyber-paedophilia. She suggested naming the initiative after Felca. The bill aims to establish integrated public policies for the prevention and combat of sexual exploitation of children and adolescents online. It outlines clear municipal guidelines, including educational campaigns, confidential reporting channels, and psychological and legal support for victims.

Far-right politician Nikolas Ferreira, affiliated with the Liberal Party (PL), also commented on the video’s revelations about child sexualisation and paedophile activity on social media.

“Felca stirred up a hornet’s nest. Back during the Marajó Island case, I made a video, raised a lot of funds to help, and the media stayed completely silent. May God bless him on this journey. It won’t be easy,” Ferreira wrote.

In response to Felca’s exposé, the President of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta, pledged to prioritise legislation on children and social media this week.

“Felca’s video on the adultification of children shocked and mobilised millions of Brazilians. This is an urgent issue that touches the heart of our society. In the Chamber, there are several important bills on the topic. This week, we will address and advance this discussion. Thank you, Felca. Count on the Chamber to defend our children,” Motta posted on social media.

However, social media users were quick to criticise politicians for using the video’s momentum for self-promotion.

“Now everyone wants to ride Felca’s wave. Where were you before? It took a young man to make the superheroes show up. Where are the people responsible for these children and adolescents?” asked Instagram user Iara Flores Jardim.

“There are already laws in Brazil to combat paedophilia and child exploitation. The problem isn’t the lack of legislation – it’s enforcement. As long as even MPs with questionable conduct continue to receive respect and airtime, new laws won’t change reality,” added internet user Glauber Nobre.

Brazil already has a bill in progress in the Chamber of Deputies aimed at protecting children online and holding platforms accountable. The proposal shares similarities with the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023, which seeks to safeguard children and adults online by imposing new duties on social media companies and search engines. Although the Brazilian bill has passed the Senate, it still awaits approval by the Chamber and must be signed into law by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).