Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 Pandemic
The article analyzes the experiences of Venezuelan refugees in the city of Boa Vista (Brazil) in exercising their communication rights in the context of social and digital inequalities aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This article outlines a perspective on digital inequalities from a rights-base...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cogitatio
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Media and Communication |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/5051 |
| _version_ | 1818016698462109696 |
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| author | Julia Camargo Denise Cogo Amanda Alencar |
| author_facet | Julia Camargo Denise Cogo Amanda Alencar |
| author_sort | Julia Camargo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article analyzes the experiences of Venezuelan refugees in the city of Boa Vista (Brazil) in exercising their communication rights in the context of social and digital inequalities aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This article outlines a perspective on digital inequalities from a rights-based approach, which focuses on granting the right to communicate to those who lack it rather than providing access to technology without highlighting the structural changes that are needed for promoting representation and participation of marginalized communities. Building on online and face-to-face interviews with 12 Venezuelan refugees, we identified three scenarios where inequalities regarding access and uses of ICTs are materialized: (a) reduction of digital communication interactions and affective networks due to the deterioration of connectivity in Venezuela and the suspension of local communication services provided by humanitarian agencies; (b) barriers to accessing information about rights and basic services, such as education, health, work, and shelter, given the reduction of communication channels and the closure of reference centers supporting refugees; and (c) increased exposure to fake news, scams, and hate speech in social media platforms and message apps, generating disinformation and enhancing risks of exploitation and marginalization of refugees. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:16:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4b4be2707e6447bb0dce477d2c13332 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2183-2439 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:16:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cogitatio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Media and Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4b4be2707e6447bb0dce477d2c133322022-12-22T02:06:17ZengCogitatioMedia and Communication2183-24392022-06-0110223034010.17645/mac.v10i2.50512586Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 PandemicJulia Camargo0Denise Cogo1Amanda Alencar2Department of International Relations, Federal University of Roraima, BrazilDepartment of Communication, Higher School of Advertising and Marketing, BrazilDepartment of Media and Communication, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The NetherlandsThe article analyzes the experiences of Venezuelan refugees in the city of Boa Vista (Brazil) in exercising their communication rights in the context of social and digital inequalities aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This article outlines a perspective on digital inequalities from a rights-based approach, which focuses on granting the right to communicate to those who lack it rather than providing access to technology without highlighting the structural changes that are needed for promoting representation and participation of marginalized communities. Building on online and face-to-face interviews with 12 Venezuelan refugees, we identified three scenarios where inequalities regarding access and uses of ICTs are materialized: (a) reduction of digital communication interactions and affective networks due to the deterioration of connectivity in Venezuela and the suspension of local communication services provided by humanitarian agencies; (b) barriers to accessing information about rights and basic services, such as education, health, work, and shelter, given the reduction of communication channels and the closure of reference centers supporting refugees; and (c) increased exposure to fake news, scams, and hate speech in social media platforms and message apps, generating disinformation and enhancing risks of exploitation and marginalization of refugees.https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/5051citizen communicationcommunication rightscovid-19digital inequalitiesvenezuelan refugees |
| spellingShingle | Julia Camargo Denise Cogo Amanda Alencar Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 Pandemic Media and Communication citizen communication communication rights covid-19 digital inequalities venezuelan refugees |
| title | Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Communication Rights and Digital Inequalities During the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | venezuelan refugees in brazil communication rights and digital inequalities during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | citizen communication communication rights covid-19 digital inequalities venezuelan refugees |
| url | https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/5051 |
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