Brazil Culture Minister to sue Facebook over censored photo

[Original em Português]

Agência Brasil 17/04/2015 18h46 - Brasilia

by Aline Leal, editing by Stênio Ribeiro

Brazilian Culture Minister Juca Ferreira to sue Facebook over blocking an historic photograph of Botocudo Indians on ministry's fanpage (Credit: Wilson Dias / Agency Brazil)

The Brazilian Ministry of Culture has decided to sue Facebook, after a picture of two Botocudo Indians was censored by the social network. The photo, taken in 1909 by Walter Garbe, was posted on the ministry's institutional page on the afternoon of April 15th, and its removal was noted the morning of the 16th, with the warning that, following internal rules, the photo had been blocked.

"We put the photo on our Facebook page to invite people to visit the exhibition, and Facebook removed it, censored the picture," Minister Juca Ferreira said on the 17th. For him, the attitude was disrespectful of Brazilian legislation, the Indian Statute, and also the rules of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which preaches the diversity of cultural expression and respect for singularities.

The minister said that on Thursday, April 16, the ministry contacted the network several times about the reason for blocking and ask that the photo be put back on the air, but the request was denied. "They claimed they have their own company standards, which apply globally, and are not subject to national laws," said the minister on the Facebook response.

For Juca Ferreira, this type of censorship in social networks is a problem that needs to be discussed globally. "We know the world is discussing the regulation of the internet, and these global corporations are operating on the internet, trying to monopolize the space, imposing standards lacking transparency and disregarding cultural contexts."

In addition to bringing a public civil action against the social network, the ministry said that will trigger international organizations such as UNESCO, to discuss the matter.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Facebook is censoring artistic works, including the well-known painting Birth of Venus by the Italian painter Botticelli. Network photography groups have also complained that photos have been censored for showing nudity.

The controversy comes a week after President Dilma Rousseff announced a partnership with Facebook to bring internet to the poor. Juca Ferreira pointed out, however, that even that agreement does not provide for disrespect for the country's standards. "The Brazilian government wants to build these rules with everyone operating in the Internet sphere. That dialogue does not authorize a process of censorship and restriction of freedom of expression in the country," he said.

The photo is in the public domain, and is exhibited on the Brasiliana Photo Portal(http://brasilianafotografica.bn.br/brasiliana/), released today in a partnership between the National Library Foundation and the Instituto Moreira Salles, which will feature more than 2,000 historical images of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Contaced by Agência Brasil reporters, Facebook did not respond before press time.

Link to original article: http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/cultura/noticia/2015-04/ministerio-da-cultura-aciona-facebook-por-censurar-foto-de-casal-indigena