Digital culture in Brazil: Building peeracy?

Abstract

The analysis of emerging digital culture in Brazil demands an understanding of certain aspects of Brazilian life. This article examines the relationship between Brazilian socio-economic and cultural factors, and digital development. Having initially outlined inequalities in media and digital provision, the article proceeds to examine Brazilian policy on the creation of an information society through digital inclusion programs and the provision of free and open source software (FOSS). The analysis considers policies of the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, and considers the concept of peeracy, a hybrid term coined by former Culture Minister Gilberto Gil suggesting equality and rights of access and sharing. The article examines digital take-up besides other media consumption patterns in Brazil, analyses the impact of telecentros and lan houses (both being public access spaces for digital participation) and concludes with an evaluation of the link between participation in digital culture and the empowerment of citizens.