A videogame called “Slavery Simulator”which allowed people of color to be bought, sold, and even tortured, was withdrawn by Google of its application store after sparking a wave of indignation and the reaction of authorities in Brazil.
The prosecution opened an investigation into “hate speech” in this application in Portuguesewhich in the middle of the week had more than a thousand downloads on the PlayStore platform, from Google.
In the game, the participants were advised to use slaves to get rich”, either “do everything possible to prevent the abolition of slavery, to accumulate money.”
The rules of use of the application indicated that the game had been “intended for entertainment purposes only” and that its creators “They condemn any type of slavery.”
According to the prosecutor’s office sao paulo, the game was produced by a company called “Magnus Games”.
After picking it up from the store on Wednesday, Google assured in a statement that it does not allow “applications that promote violence or incite hatred against individuals or groups based on their race or ethnic origin.”
The company added that Internet users can report this type of content.
The Brazilian Ministry of Racial Equality claimed to have contacted Google so that implement measures that allow a “efficient filter of contents that contain hate speech, intolerance and racism”, and prevent them from spreading “so easily and without moderation”according to a statement.
Racism continues to permeate society in Brazil, last country in America to abolish slavery in 1888, and where more than 56% of the population identifies as Afro-descendant.
“Brazil is one of the main consumers of Google platforms, and having an application that recalls the time of slavery, that rewards those who torture the most and who sells enslaved people, is a mixture of racism with fascism”he said this friday the representative of Rio de Janeiro Renata Souza (PSOL, left).
Google already clashed with the government earlier this monthby openly criticizing – with links appearing under its search engine – a bill that seeks to regulate social networks and online content in Brazil.
A judge of the Supreme Court ordered the opening of an investigation into “abusive campaign” against the bill, which will soon be voted on by Congress.
Source: Gestion
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