[governance] Facebook profiles blocked and content removed in Brazil

[Jac sm Kee]

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hi all,

a glimpse into how FB implements its censorship policies in practice:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/22/low-wage-facebook-contractor-leaks-secret-censorship-list/

In those countries, the people make their laws through the
> parliament and one can say that they are legitimately exercising
> their sovereign right to determine what is "acceptable" versus what
> is "not acceptable" - do we then dare say that they are wrong.
> Every country has the sovereign right and the people therein the
> sovereign right to determine for themselves what is "public
> morality".
actually, the state's duties to protect public morality is precisely
what provides legitimate cause of governments to intervene and create
more laws around censorship of the internet - and this needs a closer
and more critical analysis than accepting as is. e.g. in brazil, the
problematic azeredo bill was first pushed under economic arguments
(preventing financial fraud) - didn't work. but when it was pushed
under child protection arguments, it almost went through without a
hiccup and galvanised a lot of support (which also resulted in a huge
protests - but different story).

pornography is another obvious one, but then what does this constitute
and how is it defined can be a problem - as can be seen the FB
scenario. not the first time they have come across problems, e.g. they
are notorious for blocking photographs of women breastfeeding. compare
this against e.g. time magazine's recent controversial cover of a
woman breastfeeding, which is okay under US laws - so, lowest common
denominator internationally? this would mean anything less than e.g.
fully closed face and ankles and wrists would be unacceptable. that
doesn't quite make sense either.

apc has been doing a research on examining how internet regulation and
regulation of sexuality goes hand-in-hand, and it's thrown up some
interesting points. from e.g. international aid for infrastructure
that comes encumbered with policy requirements and setting national
agendas on e.g. the issue of child pornography, to the contentious
geopolitical negotiations around sexual speech, health, rights and
citizenship. more info: http://erotics.apc.org

i've also been reading the conversations around EC and democratization
of IG on this list with interest. and the thing that bugs me about
looking at democratization starting from national democratic processes
is that the potential of the internet to facilitate democratic
participation and deliberations is precisely because it is currently
still somewhat slippery from complete state control, as opposed to
e.g. broadcasting media and books and streets. so i am reluctant to
say that states should ahve oversight and negotiate it from there.
although i understand that global governance and oversight is
different from national, but when states become the highest hierarchy
of authority, then my point of entry for engagement as civ soc would
be from that level. it's not something i am optimistic about..

anyway, 2 cents,
jac




> 
> 
> What FB is doing will potentially impact the way that younger
> generations
>> will perceive liberty (including body expression and sexual
>> liberty) and morality. And, in my country, FB is actually being
>> more conservative than traditional media, endangering the
>> progress we made on recent decades when it comes to body
>> expression women's rights and sexual rights.
>> 
> 
> 
>> Is it facebook that is being conservative? Afterall, they are
>> merely trying to comply with the laws of the land. I think that
>> if people have an issue, they should take it up with their
>> respective Parliaments and have it debated. These comments are
>> restricted to the "Freedom of Expression" but when it comes to
>> "Privacy" and "misuse" of information and data - I have different
>> views.
>> 
> 
> 
>> I do not feel comfortable to place this sort of decision on FB's
>> hands, with no chance of democratic debate, with no chance to
>> scrutinize these policies they impinge on users.
>> 
>> These are good discussions and Turkey and Thailand and the US
>> make
> fascinating studies.
> 
>> Best, Marília
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> Some basic conclusions: a) rights, such as freedom of
>>>>> expression,
>>>> 
>>>> Why would one who uses FB think they can express themselves
>>>> outside of the FB ToS/AUP?
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> are being
>>>>> restricted by the same platforms that are praised and known
>>>>> for
>>>> enabling
>>>>> their exercise; b) there is a privatization of Internet
>>>>> regulation,
>>>> subtle,
>>>>> based on contracts (terms of use)
>>>> 
>>>> Would you argue that Internet companies have NO ToS?
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> , but yet, dangerous; c) I see no adequate
>>>>> forum where we should take this issue to be analized in a
>>>> participatory and
>>>>> balanced way in the global arena.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Nor should there be IMHO.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -- Cheers,
>>>> 
>>>> McTim "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates
>>>> where it is. A route indicates how we get there."  Jon
>>>> Postel
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala
>>> 
>>> Tweeter: @SalanietaT Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro Cell:
>>> +679 998 2851
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- Centro de Tecnologia e Sociedade FGV Direito Rio
>> 
>> Center for Technology and Society Getulio Vargas Foundation Rio
>> de Janeiro - Brazil
>> 
> 
> 
> 

- -- 
Jac sm Kee
Women's Rights Policy Coordinator
Association for Progressive Communications
www.apc.org | erotics.apc.org | www.takebackthetech.net
Skype: jhybeturle | Twitter: jhybe
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