[bestbits] Whatsapp return and regional hate/harassment in Brazil

[Renata Aquino Ribeiro]

Hi

You may have seen that Whatsapp blockage in Brazil this time was
overturn on appeal again [1]
Also you may have seen that Zuckerberg and ITS-Rio are mobilizing for
blockages not happening again [2]

One aspect of the blockage this time which must be known as well are
Brazil`s hate crimes against Northeasterns.
Whatsapp was blocked before by judges in São Paulo and Goiás (states
on other regions).
Yet, this was the 2nd time the judge from Sergipe issued this national
blockage order.

This made many Brazilians from other regions turn to social media with
insults and harassment towards North/Northeasterns. [4]
Among the insults, outrage how a mostly disconnected region can be the
cause of a service blocking throughout the country.
Some insults are against Northeners and Northeasterns because most who
do such crimes do not differentiate these regions. They are both were
low HDIs are [3]

Brazil is a diverse country and this harrassment is being done by a minority.
However, this raises an important issue to be debated in regional
engagement in internet governance. Most organizations and activists
which raised a flag on Whatsapp blockages mobilizations are not in the
Northeast and have not addressed this unfortunate consequence of the
origin of the blockage.

In the hope that this situation does not escalate, it is important to
pay attention to this and to act on seeing internet governance as a
debate which should not have frontiers and yet take into account
economical and social conditions of regions it affects.

There is a session in WSIS this week where this theme will be
addressed this friday.
https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2016/Agenda/Session/138

You can see on the agenda many great events and they will all be
recorded. The hashtag to follow the event is #WSIS

Best,

Renata


[1] http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/05/brazilian-judge-blocks-whatsapp-for-72-hours-but-it-still-works-over-vpn-wi-fi/

[2] https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10102814103934951

[3] http://blog.estadaodados.com/apenas-32-cidades-tem-idh-municipal-muito-baixo-em-2000-eram-2328/

[4] http://www.brasilpost.com.br/2016/05/02/sergipe-whatsapp_n_9822622.html
http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/brasil/2016-05-03/internautas-disseminam-odio-contra-o-nordeste-por-bloqueio-do-whatsapp.html