Google removes ‘Slavery Simulator’ game following backlash in Brazil

The prosecutor’s office opened an investigation for “hate speech” in this application in Portuguese, which in the middle of the week had more than a thousand downloads on Google’s Playstore platform.

In the game, the participants were advised to “use the slaves to get rich”, or “to do everything possible to avoid the abolition of slavery, to accumulate money”.

The rules of use of the application indicated that the game had been “conceived solely for entertainment purposes” and that its creators “condemn any type of slavery”.

According to the Sao Paulo prosecutor’s office, the game was produced by a company called “Magnus Games”.

After removing it from the store on Wednesday, Google said in a statement that it does not allow “apps 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 said it had contacted Google to implement measures that allow “efficient filtering of content containing hate speech, intolerance and racism” and prevent it from spreading “so easily and without moderation,” according to a report. release.

Racism continues to permeate society in Brazil, the last country in the Americas 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 commemorates 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 month, openly criticizing – with links appearing under its search engine – a bill that seeks to regulate social networks and online content in Brazil.

A supreme court judge ordered the opening of an investigation for an “abusive campaign” against the bill, which will soon be voted on by Congress.