Google later Tuesday took down an article the ministry had labelled propaganda, but it was not immediately clear if the big tech giant was in complete compliance with the agency's order. 

The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, argues that regulating online discourse is essential following a recent spate of fatal school attacks that officials believe were motivated by hate speech and social media forums. The bill was sent to the lower chamber on Friday and may be voted on this week.

On Sunday, Google published a message on its homepage arguing that the bill "could increase confusion about what is true or false in Brazil" and should be improved. The message redirected to an article written by the search engine's public policy department listing arguments against the bill. However, the Justice Ministry accused Google of promoting a disguised editorial position. The agency also demanded that Google clearly indicate that its position is propaganda and be transparent about any interference in its search engine to links related to the bill.

The agency warned the company would be fined 1 million reais, or approximately $200,000, per hour if it failed to comply with the order. Google's message on its homepage, and the article, were removed Tuesday after the order's publication.

Last week, Brazilian lawmakers approved a request to speed up the approval process for the bill in the House. Analysts and big tech companies criticised the move and argued there was a need for further discussion.

The bill dates back to 2020 when it was approved by the Senate under Lula's predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, but has since undergone substantial modifications and become much broader. If approved by the House, the bill will return to the Senate for a final vote.

(With inputs from agencies)