Brazils

The problem, says Santos, is that often platforms do not appreciate the potential impact of “anti-democratic” content. “They’ll take down content that incites violence,” she says. “But when people are calling for a military intervention, for example, they do not clearly associate military intervention with violence.”While every expert who spoke to WIRED noted that disinformation in Brazil spans nearly all social platforms, as well as private messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, Marco Ruediger, director of the school…

Photo: Eraldo Peres (AP)Facebook and YouTube are removing content supporting or praising the riots from anti-democratic protestors that broke out in Brazil’s capital over the weekend. Supporters of Brazil’s far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the government buildings in Brasilia, leaving a wake of destruction behind them.The riots mirror the one that took place in the U.S. on January 6, 2021 following Joe Biden’s presidential win over former President Donald Trump.Footage and comments supporting the…

Gal Costa, an adventurous musician who was a pivotal figure in Brazil’s Tropicália movement in the 1960s, has died. She was 77.Costa, born Maria da Graça Penna Burgos, died Wednesday, according to the Associated Press, which cited a press representative for the singer. No cause of death or additional details were provided.“It is with deep sadness and a broken heart that we announce the death of singer Gal Costa this Wednesday morning, Nov. 9, in São Paulo,” said a statement posted to her official Instagram account.…

Environmentalists are calling Brazil’s presidential election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, a big win for the Amazon rain forest. The ecosystem suffered record high levels of deforestation after the nation’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro took office nearly four years ago. Brazil contains more than half of Amazonia, a region whose fate is crucial to slowing climate change. During Bolsonaro’s tenure, loggers, cattle ranchers and soy farmers cut down or burned more than two billion trees in the…

The Central Bank of Brazil left its benchmark lending rate unchanged, but warned again that it is prepared to resume hikes if the country’s inflation doesn’t keep slowing as expected. The bank’s monetary policy committee, known as the Copom, left its key Selic rate at 13.75% for the second consecutive meeting. The committee had raised the rate at 12 meetings in a row before the September conclave, lifting the Selic from a record low of 2%. The Copom said it is ready to raise rates again if the situation…

Brazil’s presidential race is much closer than the polls predicted—and scientists are fretting. Many fear that another term for President Jair Bolsonaro, the right-wing former army captain who frequently attacked science, would bring irreversible damage to science, education, the environment—and even to Brazilian democracy itself. Bolsonaro has cast doubts on the Brazilian voting system and signaled he will not recognize the results if he loses. His rival,…

Telegram did not respond to a request fof comment.Telegram was used heavily by organizers of the January 6 riot in the US. The platform is unmoderated, with small exceptions for pornographic and terrorist content, making it a hub for conspiracy theories and disinformation that may otherwise be removed from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.Many of these Telegram channels are publicly searchable and have thousands of members who share tens of thousands of pieces of content a month. Many refer to Bolsonaro’s…

Apple reportedly said it would challenge the Brazilian court's order which halted the sale of iPhone models without a battery charger in the country. Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has earlier fined Apple BRL 12.275 million (roughly Rs. 18 crore) over the issue claiming that the company is providing an incomplete product to consumers. The order prohibits the sale of all iPhone 12 and 13 models in the country. The Cupertino giant stopped bundling chargers with its mobile phones in 2020 with the release of…

Brazil's Ministry of Justice has issued an order banning Apple from selling iPhones that don't come with chargers in the country. It has also slapped the tech giant with a fine of 12.275 million Brazilian reals ($2.38 million) and has ordered the cancelation of the iPhone 12's registration with the country's national telecoms agency Anatel. Apple stopped bundling chargers with its mobile devices back in 2020 with the release of the iPhone 12, citing environmental concerns. The company said that it was shipping devices…

Technology investor Prosus said on Friday it would pay up to EUR 1.8 billion (roughly Rs. 14,500 crore) to buy the 33 percent stake in Brazil's iFood from rival Just Eat Takeaway.com that it does not already own. The deal will give Prosus sole control of iFood, considered one of the most attractive food delivery businesses in one of the world's biggest markets. It also gives Takeaway, which is racing to achieve profitability, a vital cash infusion.Prosus said it would pay EUR 1.5 billion (roughly Rs. 12,100 crore) in cash…