Featured stories about Brazil
Stories about Brazil
Advocacy groups in the Americas focus on tackling rising surveillance technology
Digital surveillance continues to spread in the Americas, human rights groups raise awareness, research, and earn small judicial victories to limit its negative impacts on communities.
Unfreedom Monitor Report: Brazil
Advox research into digital authoritarianism in Brazil is now in a report. Read an excerpt and download the full pdf.
Access the Unfreedom Monitor database
The Unfreedom Monitor is an Advox initiative to deepen our understanding of the relationship between technology and authoritarian power. In the first phase of this project, researchers working in 11 countries and four key themes conducted analysis of incidents, narratives, and media items, to explain acts of digital authoritarianism and...
Brazilian facial recognition ruling can set an important precedent for country-wide use
This lawsuit could generate a "process of recognition that this is a wrongful practice, both on the side of the public authority, as well as the private enterprise."
Opacity and a lack of debate mark Brazil's ratification of the Budapest Convention
Experts warn that the roll-out was problematic, not least because the treaty may put citizen data in general at risk and open the way to criminalizing the work of InfoSec researchers and activists.
After writing about police killings, editor of The Intercept Brazil is made target of investigation
The journalist sent out a newsletter with a text that focused was on the police's actions, which resulted in at least 41 homicides in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.
Social media in Latin America: Caught between a rock and a hard place
As researchers, it is very difficult to know how, or even if, high profile global announcements are actually impacting users in Latin America.
So-called anti-fascist files in Brazil expose the personal information of hundreds of people
One of the lists, which circulated on WhatsApp, doxxed people's personal information such as names, pictures, and addresses.
Twitter urged to take action against harassment of female reporter in Brazil
The smear campaign against Folha de S. Paulo journalist Patrícia Campos Mello is one of several cases of harassment against reporters that have taken place recently in Brazil.
Lynch mobs in India, fake news in Brazil — when disinformation goes viral, should Facebook take action?
Facebook may still not know its power when it comes to disinformation.
Netizen Report: How WhatsApp (and $3 million) helped carry Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro to victory
The Advox Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
Brazilian journalists face hacking, doxxing and other threats as election draws near
141 cases of threats and violence against journalists have been registered during the coverage of 2018 elections.
Will fake news carry Brazil's favored far-right candidate to victory?
Facebook and WhatsApp have seen a flurry of false and misleading posts promoting Jair Bolsonaro, who is likely to be Brazil's next president.
Will Brazil's forthcoming data protection law actually protect peoples’ privacy rights?
The president vetoed the creation of an independent authority that would oversee the law's implementation.
Facebook bans 196 pages in Brazil, attempting to rein in abuse and disinformation
Free Brazil Movement is accusing the platform of censoring right-wing groups.
Billions served? Human rights in the Facebook era
Tracking hate speech, harassment, and political censorship on the world’s largest social network
By Attempting to Curb Disinformation on Slain Politician Marielle Franco, a Brazilian Judge Hands Facebook Censorship Powers
The order could set a dangerous precedent for freedom of speech online in the country.
São Paulo City Hall's Official Facebook Page is Blocking Users Who Criticise the Mayor
The revelations cast light on the uncharted legal territory of how official digital accounts of public institutions are administrated when they are hosted by private platforms, such as Facebook.
Brazil's Largest Newspaper Quits Facebook, Accuses it of Harboring ‘Fake News’
Folha's editor accused Facebook of "...banning professional journalism from its pages in favour of personal content and opening space for ‘fake news’ to proliferate."
Netizen Report: Can Brazil’s Government Use Google to Manipulate Public Opinion?
The Advox Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world.
