「奴隷制」ゲームにブラジルで批判殺到　グーグルストアから削除

【リオデジャネイロＡＦＰ＝時事】プレーヤーが黒人の仮想奴隷を売買・拷問できるポルトガル語のゲームアプリ「Ｓｌａｖｅｒｙ Ｓｉｍｕｌａｔｏｒ（奴隷制シミュレーター）」にブラジルで人種差別との批判が起きたのを受け、米グーグルは同アプリを「Ｐｌａｙストア」から削除した。（写真はゲームアプリ「奴隷制シミュレーター」の画面。ブラジル・リオデジャネイロで）
　このアプリは、プレーヤーが奴隷制の廃止を阻止する戦略を立てながら奴隷を売買して富を築いていくシミュレーションゲームで、数百人がダウンロードしていた。アプリの免責事項には、「あらゆる奴隷制度」を非難し、このゲームは「娯楽のみを目的としている」と記載されていた。
　検察は「ヘイトスピーチ」の疑いがあるとして捜査を開始している。
　グーグルはこのアプリの削除後、同社のプラットフォームでは「肌の色や民族的出自を理由に集団や個人への暴力や憎悪を助長するアプリ」を容認できないと表明。ユーザーには不快なコンテンツを報告するよう呼び掛けた。
　ブラジルの人種平等促進省は「ヘイトスピーチや不寛容、人種差別を含むコンテンツを除去」し、そうしたコンテンツが「容易に拡散されるのを防止」する措置を講じるようグーグルに要請したとしている。
　ブラジルは１８８８年、南北米大陸で最後まで維持されていた奴隷制を廃止した。しかし、人口の５６％以上はアフリカ系で、人種差別はいまだに根強く残っている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/05/29-17:11）

Google has withdrawn a gaming app that allowed players to buy, sell and torture black virtual slaves after a racism outcry in Brazil.
Dubbed Slavery Simulator, the Portuguese-language game saw players trade in slaves and strategize to prevent the abolition of slavery in order to amass virtual riches.
The prosecutor's office said it had opened an investigation for hate speech related to the game downloaded by hundreds of people.
The app itself had come with a disclaimer condemning all types of slavery and insisting the game was solely for entertainment purposes.
After withdrawing the app from its Playstore, Google said in a statement that applications that promote violence or hated against groups of people or individuals because of their skin color or ethnic origin would not be allowed on its platform.
The company invited users to report offensive content.
Brazil's ministry of racial equality said it had asked Google to put in place measures to filter out 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.
Brazil is one of the countries with the most consumers on Google?s platforms, and there one finds this app that recalls the era of slavery, with bonuses for those who torture the most, said Renata Souza, a leftist regional lawmaker in Rio de Janeiro.
This is not only racism, but also fascism, she told AFP. Here in Brazil, we have a neo-fascist movement that is not afraid to show itself... because of the lack of regulation on social networks.
Google has spoken out against a bill seeking to stem online disinformation in Brazil, saying it seriously threatens free speech.
Supporters call the bill a badly-needed defense against disinformation and online extremism, but detractors 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 has been on the minds of Brazilians since monkey insults were hurled Sunday against their own Vinicius Junior, playing for Real Madrid in Spain.
The lights on the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro were turned off for an hour in solidarity with the player.