Google removes ‘slavery’ gaming app amid racist protest in Brazil

Google has withdrawn a gaming app that allowed players to buy, sell and torture black virtual “slaves” following an outbreak of racism in Brazil.

Dubbed “Slavery Simulator,” the Portuguese-language game has players trading slaves and strategizing to prevent the abolition of slavery in order to amass virtual wealth.

The prosecutor’s office said it had opened an investigation into “hate speech” related to the game, downloaded by hundreds of people.

The app itself came with a disclaimer condemning “slavery of all kinds” and emphasizing the game was “for entertainment purposes only”.

After withdrawing the app from its Playstore, Google said in a statement that “applications that promote violence or hate against people or groups of individuals because of their skin color or ethnic origin” would be banned from its platforms. But will not be allowed.

The company invited users to report objectionable content.

Brazil’s Ministry of Racial Equality said it had asked Google to take measures “to filter content containing hate speech, intolerance and racism” and “to prevent it from spreading so easily without moderation”.

Racism is still a problem in Brazil, the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery in 1888. More than 56 percent of the population is Afro-Brazilian.

Renata Souza, a left-wing regional legislator in Rio de Janeiro, said, “Brazil is one of the countries with the most users on Google’s platform, and there one finds this app that recalls the era of slavery, With bonuses for the most torturous.” ,

“This is not only racism, but also fascism,” he told AFP.

Google has spoken out against a bill in Brazil to curb online disinformation, saying it “seriously jeopardizes free speech.”

Supporters tout the bill as a badly needed defense against disinformation and online extremism, but opponents say it amounts to censorship.

A Supreme Court judge ordered an investigation of Google and Telegram over what he called their “abusive campaign” against the bill.

Racism is on the minds of Brazilians as a “monkey” insult was thrown against their own Vinicius Junior playing for Real Madrid in Spain on Sunday.

The lights of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro were turned off for an hour in solidarity with the player.