Google Brazil
29 08 2006The Orkut story is heating up in Brazil. Minutes after I posted the story, Google Inc was on it. However, the Brazilian Feds are attacking Google Brazil and refusing to talk to Google US, where the servers are actually based.
Brazilians truly see the devil in Orkut because they refuse to release data of their customers. Facts however:
1. Brazil has no law whatsoever with regards to these matters (free online speech, in which cases user data can be collected, how speech can be prosecuted,…). No wonder Google is very reluctant to release data of the hundreds, if not thousands ‘cases’.
3. The problem is well beyond Orkut of course. On it’s own territory many fotolog services are being abused for distributing kiddy porn, selling drugs,… No action whatsoever is taken against those acts. As I wrote before, the Brazilian government is simply terrified seeing that more then 10% of it’s population is gathered on a US-based platform. Imagine what would happen in the next president elections in 4 years from here with more then 20% of the Brazilian population on Orkut… This is of course the real issue. “Orkut was the most visited Web site in Brazil in July, attracting 9.6 billion page views that month, according to IBOPE/NetRatings, a joint venture between the Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics and NetRatings. About half of the Web population in Brazil uses Orkut.”
3. It is strange that this matter pops u amidst the elections…
4. I wished Brazilians understood that orkut with it’s 94% Brazilian users is actually a liability rather then an asset in the books of Google. Valuable consumer data? Don’t make me laugh; iTunes doesn’t even sell (read: is even not allowed to sell) in Brazil.
That being said; I would love if Orkut would close shop; even better: Google pulling it’s complete operations from Brazil. It would smell as a victory to Brazil at first, but eventually leave the country bedazed disconnected; when reading the tons of international reviews on Brazil’s lacking policies with regards to freedom of speech and basic democratic rights (Brazil is still one of the most dangerous countries to be a journalist in; unless you work for Globo of course), the country would have strange memories of the 70’s and 80’s.
John,
I read your comment thru MeioBit. I find your claim, “…after reading my story Google(Inc. I suppose) jumped on it,” quite hilarious.
Google,Inc. started feeling uncomfortable after the MPF established a huge fine for Google,Inc. to pay. The arguments of Google,Inc. don’t hold water. The Civil Rights Act, signed by Johnson in 1964 and ammended, protects all possible minorities. Brazil also has similar laws, which actually sent a 20-yr. old student to jail for five years after racial harassment in orkut.
Therefore, both countries have laws about this stuff.
When Google,Inc. says the First Ammendment ties their hands, that is also a fallacy. Article 230(c) specifies personal crimes, such as injury, defamation, etc. are still crimes to be taken to civil courts. Repeated they constitute harassment. I consulted a judge in Rio and the judge confirmed they are crimes in Brazil, too.
Say Google, Inc. feel uncomfortabe about breeching privacy of presumed felons? Well, in my country, the USA, Google, Inc. can ask the Justice Department for permission to breech privacy and get a permit in less than 24 hours. This was actually the rationale of the judge who kissed good-bye to illegal wiretapping practiced by the NSA.
To say Google Brasil couldn’t contact Google,Inc. has got to be a joke. It was quite rude of them to say the MPF didn’t know how to fill out forms and should consult a shrink. It was Nicole Wong, Google,Inc. legal rep who threatened to close down orkut or exclude Brazilians from it. Elections are happening in Brazil and in the USA. We don’t need more hatred, thanks Nicole.
The changes in orkut aren’t changes. The TOS have been there since Jan. 2004. Any relationship site has similar TOS and TOU. The only difference I have found is the inertia in Google, orkut, blogger, blogspot to respond to infractions.
Google has great products. Their tactics regarding the orgs. mentioned above stink. I would recommend you sign up to a Google Alert re. orkut. I did in April and I broke the news of their change of heart on August 25.
Brazilians have a reverded narcisism. They spit on their own image. (Nelson Rodrigues)
Best of luck,
–tina
Let me know by e-mail when my response is published if it ever is. You blog looks great but takes too long to upload.
At least you don’t blame users who aren’t Interent veterans, an oxymoron in itself.
That comment followed yours, which is why people who are smart, like you seem to be, should get better info.
Best of luck,
–tina oiticica harris
http://attu.typepad.com/universo_anarquico/
http://attu.typepad.com/anarchic_universe/