RIO DE JANEIRO, Might 27 — Google has withdrawn a gaming app that allowed gamers to purchase, promote and torture black digital “slaves” after a racism outcry in Brazil.
Dubbed Slavery Simulator, the Portuguese-language recreation noticed gamers commerce in slaves and strategise to forestall the abolition of slavery as a way to amass digital riches.
The prosecutor’s workplace stated it had opened an investigation for “hate speech” associated to the sport downloaded by tons of of individuals.
The app itself had include a disclaimer condemning “all varieties of slavery” and insisting the sport was “solely for leisure functions.”
After withdrawing the app from its Playstore, Google stated in a press release that “purposes that promote violence or hated towards teams of individuals or people due to their pores and skin color or ethnic origin” wouldn’t be allowed on its platform.
The corporate invited customers to report offensive content material.
Brazil’s ministry of racial equality stated it had requested Google to place in place measures “to filter out content material containing hate speech, intolerance and racism” and “to forestall it from spreading so simply, with out moderation.”
Racism remains to be an issue in Brazil, the final nation within the Americas to abolish slavery, in 1888. Greater than 56 per cent of the inhabitants is Afro-Brazilian.
“Brazil is likely one of the international locations with essentially the most customers on Google’s platforms, and there one finds this app that remembers the period of slavery, with bonuses for many who torture essentially the most,” stated Renata Souza, a leftist regional lawmaker in Rio de Janeiro.
“This isn’t solely racism, but additionally fascism,” she informed AFP. “Right here in Brazil, now we have a neo-fascist motion that isn’t afraid to indicate itself… due to the shortage of regulation on social networks.”
Google has spoken out towards a invoice searching for to stem on-line disinformation in Brazil, saying it “severely threatens free speech.”
Supporters name the invoice a badly-needed defence towards disinformation and on-line extremism, however detractors say it quantities to censorship.
A Supreme Court docket choose ordered an investigation of Google and Telegram over what he known as their “abusive marketing campaign” towards the invoice.
Racism has been on the minds of Brazilians since “monkey” insults have been hurled Sunday towards their very own Vinicius Junior, enjoying for Actual Madrid in Spain.
The lights on the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro have been turned off for an hour in solidarity with the participant. — AFP